The Killing Moon
by glockbird
Summary: After Voldemort was defeated and she graduated from Hogwarts, Serafina Tracey decided to take a vacation in Bucharest. While there, she meets a strange girl and her unruly cousin. RafeOC
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: Annette Curtis Klause owns Blood and Chocolate. JK Rowling owns Harry Potter. I own the plot of this story and my oc characters.

**A/N**: This is a HP and B&C crossover. I will be basing the story on the B&C movie and the HP books. Confusing, eh? I simply like the movie version of Blood and Chocolate more than the book version. Simple as that.

* * *

Serafina let out a heavy sigh as she lay on her bed. Slight scuffling sounds of her Ravenclaw roommates reached her ears under the covers. She should be getting ready for the post war celebration, but she was so tired. Tired of fighting, tired of staying up late doing research with Hermione, and tired of all the physical training she had been doing. It had all paid off of course, but she wasn't going to be well enough to do much of anything, at least for a while.

"Sera?" Luna said while poking her with a finger. "Aren't you coming?" Sera closed her eyes and replied with, "No, go on ahead without me." Luna put her hands on her hips, "You sure?" "Yes," Sera said after blowing air out of her nostrils in annoyance. "Just go."

"OK, bye," said Luna reluctantly before turning and exiting the room.

Sera pulled the covers down and blinked at the sunlight as it hit her face. _Well I'm certainly not going to lay in bed all day. Even if I'm tired._ She decided to put on a loose, red silk top, with a pair of dark blue jeans. She brushed her hair out and put on some boots. _A walk around the lake sounds nice._

Making her way down the halls and flights of stairs, she encountered only a few students. Sera was almost to the large, oak front doors when a voice called out. "Hey Sera, wait up!" Turning around she found Harry jogging up to her. He was breathing slightly heavy and Sera decided to tease him about it, "Haven't been working out as best as you had hoped?" she smirked. Harry gave a look of innocence and shrugged. "If only I had the time to enjoy some good old fashion quidditch. Those hard core workouts were driving me nuts. Pulled a new muscle everyday. I figured I wouldn't be any use If I had torn muscles."

"Ah, I see." Sera nodded her head in mock understanding. "Why aren't you at the party?"

Harry smiled, "I've pretty much got the rest of my life to celebrate Voldemort's destruction. Besides, now is the best time to rest. In a few months we'll all have to find jobs and our own homes. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't mind sleeping for a year straight," he laughed.

"Same here. Do you want to go for a walk outside?"

Harry smiled, "Sounds good." They walked around the lake while talking about Harry and Ginny's future plans. "I'm planning to ask her to marry me when we get back to the Burrow. I just hope she says yes. After all we've been through these past two years, I'm not sure what to expect," Harry said while blushing.

Sera burst out laughing and had to cover her nose to keep from snorting. Harry looked hurt when she did this, and opened his mouth to say something when Sera replied, "Harry I"m not laughing at you. I just think it's funny that you can even think that Ginny would turn you down," she said while fanning her now red face. "She loves you Harry. I mean she _really _loves you. She'd have to be on crack or something to be able to say no to you. And even then-".

"Alright, I get the picture. I just needed some reassurance is all," Harry said and shook his head at her still red, tear stained face. They came to a stop near the Forbidden Forest. Harry looked into the forest and frowned as he recalled all the bad memories from that wicked forest. "So what do you plan to do over the summer? You could always stay at the Burrow."

Sera shook her head and smiled. "As much as I appreciate it, I really need to get away from the wizarding world for a while. Maybe even go on a little vacation." Harry nodded and looked thoughtful. "Where did you have in mind?" Sera took this time to think. _Where should I go? _"Hm, definitely somewhere quiet, where I wouldn't be bothered by the ruckus of the city. It would have to be somewhere north I suppose." She tapped her nose and thought hard. An idea popped into her head, "A cabin in the mountains. That's it!"

"That's a good idea. Just you and nature, bonding for a few months." Harry crossed his arms. "I know where you'd be happy." Sera raised her eyebrows and replied "Where?"

"Romania," Harry said simply. "The Dursleys spent last Christmas in a cabin right outside Bucharest. Petunia wouldn't stop going on about how beautiful the scenery was."

Sera smiled brightly before clapping her hands together. "Well then, I will be spending my vacation in Bucharest."

* * *

The train ride home was uneventful as usual. Sera watched as the beautiful Scottish countryside sped by.

Harry and Ginny were snogging while Ron and Hermione argued over house elves. "Hermione, they like what they do. What's wrong with that?"

"If they could see what their lives would be like without serving the wizarding world, they would be even happier. They would give up servitude in a second if only they knew what they were missing!" Hermione bit back looking appalled.

Sera considered casting a silencing charm on them, but decided instead to simply tune them out. After all, it wasn't the first time she had to do it. The Hogwarts Express pulled into King's Cross just as the sun started to go down. She pulled her luggage down from the rack and carried it out of the compartment.

Her mother was waiting for her when she got off. She was greeted by a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Hi baby. Did you have a good trip?" her mother asked while taking one of Sera's bags onto her own shoulder. Sera sighed and said," The scenery was nice as always."

Her mother smiled and pushed back a lock of her deep brown hair. "Well, I think we should go. I've got reservations at a really nice hotel in London." She swung an arm around Sera's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. She lead the way through the crowd and to the parking lot. A shiny black car was parked up front, and in a tow-away zone.

"Mom, you can't park there. How many times do we have to go over this?" Sera laughed at her mom's raised eyebrow. "Honey, you know I never park where I'm supposed to. Hell, over spring break your uncle Eddy had to bail me out of jail for parking in a wheelchair space. I thought breaking an arm after fallin' off a horse would be considered crippled. At least temporarily." Her mother's southern accent came through broad as daylight.

Sera rolled her eyes and sighed, "Just get in the car mother."

* * *

Sera and her mother ordered dinner to be brought up to their room after they had settled in. "I bet you're starving," her mother said. "Oh yes. I haven't eaten since breakfast," Sera replied. They discussed what one another did over the past few months over dinner, before Sera brought up her plans for her vacation.

"Hey mom?" Sera asked in between bites of her Salmon. "Yes?" Her mother said while dabbing her mouth with a napkin. Sera continued, "I'm going to be spending the summer in Bucharest, in a little cabin if I can get one. You know, bond with nature and all that. I've just decided I need some time to relax and get away from all the drama of the wizarding world."

Her mom looked confused. "But you could do that back in Kentucky with me sweetie."A/N: I will be referring to her mother as Lidia from now on.)

Sera shook her head. "No mom. I have to get away from everything, even you. I don't want to offend anyone, I just want some time to myself, to recharge my batteries so to speak." Lidia gave a half hearted smile before nodding and continuing to eat.

Later that night while Lidia was watching the news, Sera got onto her laptop and searched for cabins that could be rented out in Bucharest. After looking at a few sites, she came upon one that was perfect. She looked at what it had: _3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths, 1 Living room with satellite tv, 1 Dining room, 1 fully equipped Kitchen, with balconies and a Jacuzzi._

Sera called the cabin's owners and made her reservations. They were surprised that she was staying all summer, but went along with it anyway. Sera decided to go to bed early, so she could get an early start. She smiled in her sleep, dreaming of what tomorrow would bring.

* * *

Well there you have it. The first chapter fresh off my computer. Don't be shy, tell me what you think! Lord knows I need all the praise I can get. I'm also happy with any suggestions or ideas for my story. Catch you later. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **JK Rowling owns Harry Potter. Annette Curtis Klause owns Blood and Chocolate. All I own is the plot and my OC characters.

**a/n: **Thank you Edward's Symphony for reviewing. I'm going to try to weasel in what you suggested. I have a lot of good ideas, I just can't seem to write them down correctly. Hopefully practice makes perfect.

* * *

Sera woke up to the sound of Lidia's voice. "Wake up Sera, it's time to eat. We've got orange juice, french toast, waffles, pancakes, and sausage." Sera glanced at the clock and it read seven a.m. She lifted herself from the bed and stretched. Sera piled a little bit of everything onto her plate before turning on the tv, and digging in.

"I'm going to the cabin tomorrow. I'll be going to the Weasley's house later to get a portkey." Sera explained to Lidia.

Lidia coughed after taking a sip of her orange juice. "Why so soon honey? Surely you need to get new clothes. I hear it's quite chilly up there, even in summer."

"No, I've got enough clothes in my bags already, half of which I haven't even worn yet. Besides, I can always buy more clothes once I'm there." Sera said while cutting up her waffle.

Lidia looked disappointed, to say the least. She smiled reluctantly, "Ok, I guess I'm just going to miss you then."

Sera looked up from her plate to her mother's face and saw her sad expression. She shook her head and sighed, "Mom, I'm turning nineteen this year. I've finished Hogwarts and need to go out and explore places now," she put a hand on her mothers arm. Lidia nodded in understanding. Sera patted her arm before saying, "Just think, I'll have a job and my own apartment somewhere by the end of the year."

This caught Lidia's attention. "Do you plan on staying in London or coming back home?" She looked hopeful.

Sera put her hands up and shrugged. "I don't know yet mother. It just depends on whether or not the Ministry will want me to work for them."

Her mother rolled her eyes and replied, "Professor Slughorn said you had some of the highest grades in school, and were very gifted. In fact, I got a letter from him over Christmas singing your praises. I don't think a Ministry job will be hard to get. After all, you played an important part in the war."

Sera had in fact played a important part. When Draco Malfoy turned to the light side, the Order recruited him. Voldemort was angry when word reached him that Draco was unable to kill Dumbledore, as he had been ordered to. As part of a plan, Draco went to the Dark Lord and asked for his forgiveness. However, only a few weeks after he got accepted back into the death eaters, Voldemort managed to find out he was a spy.

Draco was tortured for information about the Order, but he stood strong. Sera disguised herself as one of the death eaters and snuck into one of the gatherings. While everyone was caught up in one of Voldemort's freaky rituals, Sera went down into the dungeons and found Draco chained to the grimy, stone wall. She used a spell to brake the chains and gathered him in her arms.

They apparated out of there and ended up at Grimmuald's Place. Draco was healed and was soon well enough to talk. He spilled the secret plans of Voldemort to the Order, in which the light side needed to win the war.

She leaned back against her bed's headboard. "I'll think about it later. Right now I'm going to shower."

* * *

Sera zipped up the rest of her bags and set them by the door. She sat on her bed and put on her sneakers. Lidia was sitting in a leather arm chair that was placed near the front door. "Have everything?"

"Yep." Sera stood up and walked over to her mother. She bent down and hugged Lidia, which Lidia returned without hesitation. Sera let go, walked over to her bags and took out her wand. She muttered a spell and her bags shrunk down enough to fit in the palm of her hand. She picked them up and placed them safely in the pockets of her jeans.

Sera smiled at her mother and said, "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'll owl you a lot. Bye." Lidia gave a small waving gesture and said, "Have a good time sweetie."

Lidia heard a loud pop and watched as her daughter vanished from sight. She gave a heavy sigh and rubbed her forehead with the palm of her hand. _I hope she's careful.

* * *

_

The Weasleys were enjoying a nice family picnic by the pond when Sera popped onto the lawn. Ginny and Harry were swimming in the pond, while everyone else ate. Ginny was giggling when she spotted Sera walking down from the house. "Harry, my parents are watching!" she smacked Harry's arm playfully as he circled it around her waist. "Hey Serafina! What took you so long?" she yelled out to her.

Everyone turned around to greet their friend with warm smiles. Molly stood up from her seat and pulled Sera into a big hug. "It's so good to see you again Sera," Molly released her and waved her wand at the end of the table where another place was set for her. "Well don't be shy dear, tuck in."

She sat down and helped herself to some carrot cake. A chorus of 'Hello Serafina' reached her ears as she took a bite of her cake. She realized she was practically in between Fred and George. She chewed and swallowed before looking up at them. "Hello boys," she said in a mock flirtatious voice. They both gave her a wink and a flirty grin. _Some things never change. _She couldn't help but grin at their antics.

After Sera finished her cake, she told Molly and Arthur of her plans. "So you see," she said, "I need a portkey to Bucharest. It's a lot to ask, I know, but could you do it for me?" Arthur gave a small laugh and said, "Of course I can. Let me pop over to the Ministry and get one for you Sera. Perhaps I should get one for us as well Molly," he said looking at his wife with a grin. "We could use a vacation as well."

Molly flushed and continued cleaning up the dishes left over by the picnic. Arthur went over to his wife and kissed her cheek, "I'll be home for dinner love. Don't wait up." "Ok sweetheart, be careful now," Molly replied with a kiss to his own cheek.

Sera spent the rest of the day swimming in the pond and talking with her friends. As they laid out on the dock to dry, Ron started bringing up the Good Ole' Days. Laughter could be heard as they reminisced about one thing or another. "Remember in first year we had to explain to Serafina what a loo was. Not to mention tell her which one was for the girls!" Ron laughed so hard he had pains in his stomach and tears in his eyes.

"Well here I come from they're called bathrooms! And besides, there wasn't a sign on the door that said what gender was allowed in. How was I supposed to know that was the boys loo?" Sera all but yelled in exasperation. Hermione was covering her mouth while giggling uncontrollably. "Ah, I wish I could go back to those times." Hermione interrupted her, "Don't use a time turner," she said with her finger in the air.

Harry laughed at the inside joke while Ginny looked at him confused. He put his hand up and said, "I'll tell you about it later." Sera smirked, remembering their third year. "Ignorance was bliss, no matter how short lived it was."

* * *

Arthur arrived shortly after dinner with Sera's portkey. It was a silver necklace with a large heart shaped sapphire that hung down from the chain. "Oh, it's beautiful!" Sera exclaimed. Arthur smiled as he handed it to her. "It can also be transfigured into a silver dagger with a single word. 'Pugio'."

Sera nodded and repeated the spell while concentrating on the necklace. "Pugio", she recited and watched as the necklace was replaced with a shiny silver dagger. It was engraved with some form of Latin, which she couldn't read. "Hm, wow. This will make anyone think twice about attacking me." She transfigured it back into a necklace and hooked it around her neck.

"It will activate at nine a.m tomorrow morning, so be sure to get a good nights rest." Arthur said while getting a plate from the cabinets.

Sera joined everyone in the family room, where Harry was calling every one's attention. "I have an announcement to make." he said loudly over the talking. He walked over to Ginny who was sitting in a yellow arm chair. He got down on one knee and took Ginny's hand in both of his. She looked really nervous, "Harry, what are you doing?"

Harry smiled at her before saying, "Ginny, I've loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you. When I think of you in danger, I can't breathe. I want to be there to protect you from the harshness of the world. I don't mind the fact that you still have a one more year of Hogwarts left. I'm willing to wait for you forever." Ginny's eyes were tearing up as she smiled down at him.

"Ginerva Weasley, will you marry me?" Harry asked while looking into her glistening eyes hopefully. Ginny put a hand over her mouth and inhaled deeply. Suddenly she leaped forward and kissed him fully on the lips. She pulled back and held his face in her hands, "Yes I'll marry you!" Harry kissed her passionately before hugging her.

Molly started crying tears of joy as she hugged Arthur, who looked happy as well. The twins both had goofy smiles on their faces as they clapped Harry on the shoulder in a friendly way. "You're a lucky man Harry," Fred said and tapped Ginny's nose playfully. "And you're one lucky lady too, sis," George said.

Hermione and Ron came up to the pair and exchanged hugs and congratulations. "I can't believe you two are finally getting married!" Hermione yelled happily. Ron came up to Harry and glanced at Ginny, who was being hugged by Hermione. "Take care of her Harry," he said. Harry put a hand on Ron's shoulder, "Now we are truly brothers."

Ron smiled and gave Harry a one armed 'man' hug before turning to his sister. "Congratulations Ginny. He's gonna make you very happy, I'm sure." Ginny threw her arms around him and said, "Thank you," before kissing his cheek.

Ginny turned around after she felt a tap on her shoulder. Sera smirked, "Weren't expecting this were you?" Ginny's eyes shined and she giggled, "Not in my wildest dreams". She gave Sera a gentle squeeze on her arm. "I wish you both eternal happiness together." "Thank you," Ginny said.

Sera's dreams that night were filled with images of Harry and Ginny's wedding. Beautiful white gowns, pink rose petals, and many witches diving past one another to catch a bouquet of flowers. It left her to wonder if she would ever have someone to share her life with. Who knows, maybe this trip will be filled with delightful surprises. _Yeah right._

* * *

Ugh, finally done! To all the people who have not seen the movie, I have one thing to say: It is Very different. Therefore my story will be any B&C book lovers worst nightmare, because it's going to follow the movie. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. Blood and Chocolate belongs to Annette Curtis Klause. I own the plot and OC character Sera.

A/N: A special thank you to Edward's Symphony and ouiplanete, who sadly, are my only reviewers. Love you lots. One more thing, Sera is a character I made up. That is what an **OC **is. An original character. As in made up. I just had to clear that up for everyone.

* * *

Chapter 3 

I woke up close to six thirty. The only other person awake at this hour was Mrs. Weasley. I quickly put on a pair of sweat pants and a large t-shirt, and headed towards the door to Ginny's bedroom.

Making sure to be quiet, I opened the door and crept downstairs. I passed Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen, where she was currently putting pans on the stove's burners. "Oh good morning dear. I didn't hear you get up," she said after turning around to face me. "Where are you going at this hour?" She took in my appearance and chuckled warmly at my tangled mess of reddish brown curls, which was pulled back in a sloppy low hanging pony tail.

"I'm gonna jog outside for a bit. As tired as I am, I can't sit still for too long," I said. "Alright, I should have breakfast done and waiting for you once your finished," she said while using her wand to crack and egg. I walked outside and began to stretch my arms and legs. Once I was limbered up, I began to jog next to the tree line. Blurs of brown and green flew past my eyes as I broke into a run. I had forgotten how much I loved to run. I let out harsh breaths as my lungs began to tighten up on me, and my heart beated wildly. My legs burned with a fire I had long since experienced.

I can remember being nine years old and trying to chase down my horse Hotrod, who had managed to break free from the post at the end of the barn. _"Get back here you stupid horse! I can't __even brush you without you runnin' off!" _I had shouted to her after I had tripped in a hole and came tumbling down. I laughed to myself as I recalled the memory. I wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed back then, and it clearly showed in my actions. My legs finally gave out and I collapsed to the soft, wet ground. After catching my breath and regaining a normal heartbeat, I got to my feet.

Mrs. Weasley had really outdone herself with the meal that was displayed on the dining room table. Sausage, bacon, eggs, grits, porridge, toast, and an assortment of fruity drinks sat on the table just waiting to be devoured. "Wow," was the only word I could think of to describe the delicious sight. "Go ahead and start while I get the others up," Mrs. Weasley said. I sat down and rubbed my palms together. "Where do I begin?"

I was stuffed by the time Mrs. Weasely dragged Ron and Harry out of bed. I passed their half asleep persons on my way up to Ginny's room. "Well it's about time boys. I hope you two had a good nights sleep," I said humorously and received annoyed grumbles in return. I showered and dried off before throwing on a long, pleated black skirt and a lavender blouse. I applied some black eyeliner and shadow around my lush green eyes. And finally I packed up my belongings and put on a pair of low heeled black sandals.

I grabbed my bags and carried them downstairs. Mr. Weasley led me into the living room where everyone was waiting for me. I shrunk my luggage and stuck it in my blue leather purse before taking a seat next to Hermione on the couch. "I wish you would stay longer Sera," Harry said. "Yeah, why the big hurry Sera?" Ron called from across the room.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I simply want to get away from all this stress. I'm sorry if it seems like I'm in a hurry to get away from you guys, it's nothing personal," I explained to them. Mr. Weasley nodded from his place in the doorway. He took a look at his watch and said, "It's time to go Sera. Everyone say your goodbyes." I was hugged by everyone, but not quite as hard as Ginny. "Take care of yourself out there, you never know what might happen." She smiled as she pulled away from me.

I stood in the center of the room and held the necklace tightly in my hand. "Oh, be sure to send me a message if you two are getting married before I plan to be back. I wouldn't want to miss that," I said while looking at Harry and Ginny. They blushed and started to mumble things incoherently. I smiled and closed my eyes as I welcomed the familiar pulling in my naval. The floor beneath me crumbled and a white light engulfed me as I was sucked through the portal.

* * *

I appeared in a secluded alleyway next to what I expected to be the office which held the key to my cabin. I walked to the end and turned left to see a small sign hanging on the window that read: _Molotov Cabins and Lodges. _I opened the door and heard a bell jingle. A guy behind the desk had his earphones on and was reading a magazine. He looked fairly tall, had sandy brown hair, hazel eyes and had a sprinkle of freckles on both of his cheeks. He didn't appear to hear or see me, so I walked over to the counter and patted his magazine. He looked startled and quickly pulled off his earphones, which blared music before he turned off his CD player. "Oh, sorry." He smiled sheepishly at me. 

"Are you here for a cabin?" He asked with a light Slavic accent. "Yeah, I made reservations the day before yesterday. My name is Serafina Tracey," I said while getting my wallet out of my purse. He bent down to the side and picked up a heavy filing portfolio. He flipped through the T's and pulled out a folder. He opened it up and looked it over before getting up and walking over to a key rack on the wall. "So you're renting out the deluxe cabin for three months, eh? Not many people rent that cabin, especially for as long as you plan to stay," he said while taking a pair of keys off the rack and walking back over to the counter.

I smiled at him as he handed me the keys. "Yeah, I just gone finished with school and decided to take myself on a vacation. Oh, here's my first months rent," I said, and gave him the money. He counted it and put it in the cash register. He opened one of the drawers and pulled out a map. "These are the directions to the cabin and a map of the city," he said and handed me the map. I nodded my head in thanks and turned to leave, but when I reached the door he called to me.

"Hey, would you let me show you around tonight? There are some cool paces around here if you know where to look." I couldn't help but grin as he fiddled around with the hem of his shirt and cast his eyes to the ground. "Sure, I'd like that a lot. What is your name, by the way?" I asked and watched as he raised his head to answer me. "Really? Oh, uh, my name is Blake Flanderson," he looked clearly flustered now. "What would be the best time for you?" I bit my bottom in thought. "How's eight sound?" He nodded and said, "Great, I'll pick you up at the cabin tonight then." I nodded and walked out of the office, the bell ringing after me.

* * *

I called a taxi to me and got in. "Can you take me here please?" I asked the driver while showing him the map. He nodded and started to drive down the street. The ride was charming and quiet as I looked out of the backseat window to see beautiful ancient museums and cathedrals. The city had a certain mysterious charm to it. It was drawing me into it. The city's buildings were soon replaced with trees and mountains, their peaks hidden under layers of heavy clouds. After man twists and turns they had finally arrived at her summer home. I paid the driver and walked to the front door. He drove off and I dug into my purse, looking for the keys. 

I pulled one set out and used it to unlock the door. The outside of the cabin had been nice to look at, but it was nothing compared to the inside. I had walked into the second level of the three leveled cabin.

There was an assortment of black leather furniture facing a medium sized TV and a fireplace. Further in, there was a wooden dining table and a glistening white kitchen. I went down the hall beside the kitchen and found a decent sized bedroom with a connected bathroom. I turned around and walked back to the stair cases next to the front door. One traveled up and the other traveled down. I took the one that led to the top level and walked carefully up the stairs while holding onto the railing. The top level had a small alcove where there was an armchair and a bookcase.

I walked towards a door and opened it to reveal the master bedroom. It had a king sized bed, a master bath, a large closet, a vanity, and two doors that led to the balcony. I opened the doors and found a breathtaking view. You could see the entire city below and the mountains in the distance. _I can't wait to see the sunset and sunset from this view. Oh my gosh, I can watch them while sitting in a __Jacuzzi! _I got a big stupid grin on my face as I noticed the Jacuzzi sitting a few feet away from me.

The bottom level was tiled, and had a pool table, a TV, a couch, a small bedroom and a small bathroom. I pulled the cover off the pool table and set it on the floor. Then I arranged the balls into a triangle with the rack and moved them down to the end of the table. I sighed and decided to put my things away in my room. I walked up to the master bedroom and pulled out my bags from my pockets. I set them on my bed and waved my hand swiftly at them. They grew back to normal size, unzipped and began unpacking themselves. I sat on the bed and watched as my clothes slipped onto hangers and my toiletries went into the bathroom. My wand flew out of my purse and landed beside me. I looked down at it and shook my head. "I guess I'm not going to need you much anymore."

For the rest of the day, I lounged around the cabin reading or watching TV on the couch in the living room. I ate briefly before going out into the front yard. I walked around the yard before coming across a large stick. I backed away and closed my eyes while concentrating. The stick shimmered and then morphed into a shiny navy blue Ford F150 truck. I then turned a small pine cone into the keys for the truck._That's more like it._

I took a long hot bath and began getting ready for my date. At least, I think it's a date. I put a wave charm on my hair and pulled it back into a ponytail, leaving a few strands to hang down. I put on a pair of tight blue jeans, a white v-cut tank top, a denim jacket, and tan high heeled boots. I looked at myself in the vanity mirror and adjusted my necklace. I pulled some money out of my purse and stuffed it into my jean's back pocket. There was a loud knock on the front door downstairs and I quickly went downstairs.

I opened the door and saw Blake standing in the doorway. He smiled widely before saying, "Ready to go Serafina? Or Sera, which do you prefer?" I shrugged lightly and said, "You can call me Sera if you want. The only people who aren't allowed to call me that are people who get on my bad side." "OK then Sera. Are you hungry?" He asked me while scratching his leg nervously with his other foot. I nodded and walked out the door and pulled it shut. I locked it and we got into his car and drove off down the road.

It was a dark trip down the small highway and only a few vehicles passed by them. Blake seemed to be nervous and didn't talk much during the ride into the city. I passed the time by telling him about my family and friends, and where I grew up. He made a comment here and there but stayed mostly quiet. The city was crowded with people and it was surprisingly hard to find a parking space.

"Is it always this crowded?" I couldn't help but ask. "Only in the summer time, with all the tourists," he answered me before jeering the car to the right to get a curb space before a black SUV could get it. The SUV honked loudly and swerved dangerously close to us before continuing down the road. "Jerks," I said and unbuckled. We walked down the street to a small restaurant. We waited by the door to be seated by a waiter. A waiter came and led us to a booth in the back. She gave us menus and took our drink orders.

I looked at my menu and said, "Have any clue what you want?" He smiled and nodded. "I always get the steak and vegetables." "Mm, that sounds good to me. I think I'll have that too," I said and put down my menu. We gave our orders to the waiter and he began talking animatedly to me. He talked mostly about his family and his school days.

Our food arrived quickly and we began eating. "Do you know who was driving that vehicle that tried to hit us?" I asked him after taking a sip of my water. He swallowed his bite of food and answered her, "They're just some guys that like to stir up trouble. I used to go to school with them." He took another bite of his vegetables before adding, "We may get into some trouble with them tonight, so be prepared." He finished his statement off with a smirk and a playful wink.

"Good. I always enjoy a challenge," I said with a smirk of my own. Blake and I finished our meal and paid. We made our way outside and began walking towards an unknown destination. Blake looked over at me and smiled mysteriously. "Now, are you ready for some real fun?"

* * *

And so ends the third chapter. Reviews are always appreciated. I'm also looking for a beta if anyone is interested. Pretty please? 


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: JK Rowling and Annette Curtis Klause own Harry Potter and Blood & Chocolate. I own the plot and my OC characters.

**A/N**: Thank you reviewers. Edward's Symphony, a beta (in my view) is a person who helps a writer with ideas for their story. They go over things with them that can be improved or changed in the story. You've been doing that already. ) So in a way, you already are my beta.

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Chapter 4 

Blake and I continued down the sidewalk passing hardly any people at all. I glanced at Blake who was looking straight ahead. "Where are we going?" I asked him. He pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows before replying, "It's a surprise." A smile that held secret information lit up his face. I looked at him questionably, "Should I be worried?" Blake let out a small laugh. "No, I think you'll like it. Now no more talking or I'll end up ruining the surprise."

We ended up at a large brick wall in between buildings. Blake turned towards the wall and began feeling around for something. Two girls came up behind us and one of them said, "This is where it's supposed to be." I crossed my arms and waited for Blake to do whatever it was he was doing.

As I looked down the street a girl of about nineteen came around the corner and walked towards us. She had long tawny hair, fair skin and was wearing a red jacket with a short black dress. She looked at me as she neared the building. There was definitely something strange about her. Her eyes narrowed briefly before being replaced by a look of confusion.

Blake put both his hands on the wall and groaned out, "Where is it?" The tawny haired girl pulled a brick up to reveal a lever. She pulled it down and covered it up with the brick. The wall turned out to be a door and raised up, revealing a long dark hallway. "Ah, there it is. It's been a long time since I've been here," Blake said and grabbed my hand. He pulled me in after the two giggling girls and we all walked down the hallway. The loner trailed behind us, dragging her her feet along the way. It was almost as if she didn't want to be here.

As we reached the end of the hallway, dulled lights and music poured over us. I watched as the girls in front of us bounded towards the music, and Blake squeezed my hand. My surprise was unveiled as we came upon a huge area filled with dancing couples. I followed Blake down a flight of metal stairs and we ended up at a bar with stringed lights hanging above it. We sat in some chairs and waited for the bartender to come over. "Do you drink?" asked Blake. I gave a small shrug and replied, "Yeah, I can hold a few." He nodded and called over the bartender. "So what will it be?"

"Just a whiskey for me," I said. "Absinthe," Blake said quickly. I turned to look at him as the bartender went to get our drinks. "They actually serve absinthe here? I thought that drink was dangerous," I said with a worried tone in my voice. Blake shook his head and clasped his hands together. "It can be if you're not used to drinking it. Otherwise, you simply can't let it touch your tongue if you drink it."

I let out an understanding 'mm-hm', and the bartender returned with our drinks. I took a sip of my whiskey and let out a sigh as the liquid warmed my insides. The girl from before sat down to my left and ordered a drink.

I slowly turned to look at her and she looked directly back at me. Deciding that I liked the girl, I set down my whiskey bottle, stuck out my hand and smiled. "Hi, I'm Serafina." The girl glanced down at my hand before looking back at me. She too smiled and took my hand in a firm grip and we shook. "My name's Vivian. You don't look familiar, are you from around here?"

"Oh no," I replied, "I just flew in from London yesterday." She gave me a funny look and gestured to her throat. "You don't seem to have an accent." I scrunched up my nose and laughed. "I'm from Kentucky in the States actually. I've just been going to school in London, I don't live there all year round." Vivian replied with, "Ah, that explains the southern accent that has seemed to slip through the cracks." She let out a chuckle as I covered my mouth with my hand.

I let out a muffled laugh and said, "You must be from the States, 'cause you don't have an accent either." Vivian nodded. "I was born here, but my mother and father moved my siblings and I to Colorado when I was little," she continued sadly, "There was a fire and my family was killed. My aunt and uncle brought me back here and I've lived in Bucharest ever since."

My face lost it's happy appeal and I replied, "I'm so sorry. I can almost say I know how you feel, my father was murdered when I was seven. Shot to the head."

Blake decided to interrupt, "Hey, you never told me that," he said with a disappointed frown. I smiled and said, "Vivian, this is my friend Blake." Vivian gave him a small smile and said, "Hello." She sipped her drink and quickly turned her attention to the dance floor. Blake and I turned our heads to look at whatever it was that caught her attention.

I could feel the heavy sexual energy pouring off the dance floor as the couples danced erotically with one another. I could see a woman in red dancing near the edge of the crowd. She was clearly trying to get some one's attention. A few feet away, a guy was watching her with a nasty smirk on his face. I couldn't help but cringe as I saw the primal look on his face. He walked up to the woman and grabbed her rear end, which only resulted in him being grabbed in the crotch.

The woman pushed him away and said something to him before venturing back into the crowd. He looked down at the ground wide eyed and shocked. Vivian turned back around and drank the rest of her beverage. The guy walked over to the bar looking annoyed. Vivian spoke up, "Ah, don't give up Rafe, I think she likes you." The bartender gave the guy named Rafe a small glass of absinthe. "I can see it now. A beautiful white wedding, and for the ceremony you kill her friends and family," Vivian finished off sarcastically.

I'm not sure if Vivian forgot we were here, or she simply didn't care if we overheard. Blake shifted uncomfortably next to me. Rafe turned and looked at Vivian with a grin, while four boys leaped over a railing and landed behind him laughing. "Well if it isn't the Five," Vivian commented.

They moved in close towards Rafe as he spoke, "It seems my dear cousin Vivian has decided to grace us with her presence tonight boys." He leaned casually on the counter. "Aren't you going to dance? I'm sure Gabriel would love for you to dance for him," Rafe smirked. The other boys snickered to themselves.

Vivian was getting irritated, and I was already pissed. "Hey Vivian, do you want to go dance with me?" I asked her. Vivian turned to me and nodded her head. I grabbed her arm and practically dragged her to the dance floor. I turned and gave Blake an apologetic look, to which he simply nodded. Vivian and I began dancing the way _normal _people would dance, meaning no hip tossing whatsoever.

"Thanks for getting me out of there," she said with a heavy sigh. "I was more than happy to. No offence to you, but your cousin is a real jackass," I remarked. "Yeah, I can't stand him either. Just try your best to ignore him. You don't want to get on his bad side," Vivian pointed out. I laughed and she smiled at me before asking, "What?" I teared up and snorted, "That little guy? What's he gonna do, stomp on my feet?" Vivian smiled and shook her head. "He may not look like much, but he is capable of a lot Sera. He's dangerous, and so is his father."

I contemplated the thought before asking, "Who is his father?" Vivian looked unnerved. "Gabriel," she said flatly. "Well, it seems your life is a lot more complicated than I thought." She snorted this time. "You have no idea."

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The rest of the night passed quickly with dancing and drinks. Vivian turned out to be a really nice girl. A little rough around the edges I suppose, but still nice. Before we knew it, it was closing time. I raised my wrist up and looked at my watch. I was mildly surprised when it read only 1 am. "Boy, you sure do close early," I said as we made our way out of the building. Vivian looked at me almost amused, "Yes, my uncle is weird in that way. He is the one that owns the club."

"Mm hm. Well, I'm tired now. Blake do you remember where we parked?" I asked him. "Yep. I know a shortcut too," he said proudly. I chuckled and we kept walking. After about five minutes of walking, Blake stopped and looked down an alleyway. "Here's the shortcut," he said.

I turned to Vivian and said, "It was really nice meeting you tonight Vivian. I'm going to be in Bucharest for the next few months, so I hope we'll get to hang out more." She smiled at me and said, "I'm glad we met too. I work at a chocolate shop a couple blocks from here, if you ever want to come by." I nodded and said, "I just might have to do that." Vivian continued walking down the sidewalk as Blake led me into the alley.

He led me through several passage ways, twisting and turning. "I had a really great time tonight Blake," I commented as we reached the street where his car was parked. "Well I'm happy you had a good time," he said. As I came to a stop by the car, a cold tingly feeling went up my spine. It was the same feeling I got when I was in Voldemort's presence. _Danger. _I whipped my head around, startling Blake. "What is it Sera?"

I felt a pull in my stomach as I looked around. There was no one in sight. I returned my attention back to Blake, who looked worried. I pointed my hand down the street and said, "I have to go somewhere." He gave me a suspicious look. "At almost 2 in the morning?" I laughed nervously and crossed my arms over my chest. "I'm really sorry Blake."

He reluctantly nodded his head and replied with, "Do you want me to give you a ride?" I shook my head and said, "No thanks. I need to go by myself." Blake smiled nervously and opened his car door. I walked around the car to his side a kissed his cheek. His eyes widened and he blushed bashfully. "Thank you for tonight," I said in his ear. "No prob- problem," he stuttered. I walked back onto the sidewalk and gave him a wave with my hand. He waved back and got into his car, and turned it on.

I watched him drive off down the poorly lit road and then kept walking down the sidewalk. _Now, where is the danger?_

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After half an hour of walking, I stumbled upon an old apartment building. Surprisingly, there were still people living there. I entered through the front door and looked to my left to find an empty check-in counter. _Everyone must be asleep. _I found some stairs near the back and began to climb, hoping I wasn't too late for whatever I felt was going to happen.

The staircase led to a long dark hallway that appeared to have only one small window at the end of it. Being quiet, I slinked past doors on both sides. As I neared the last door on the right I heard a bloodcurdling scream. I felt around for the doorknob and turned it, only to find it locked. There was no choice other than to break it down. I stepped back, drew my leg up and slammed it into the door. The wood around the hinges splintered and cracked but did not break. Panicking, I screamed as I swung my leg around again and smashed through the sturdy door.

It fell onto the floor and I stepped into the room. The room was small with only a twin sized bed and a dresser decorating it. I heard a growl coming from the far corner of the room and looked to find a woman cowering on the floor in her nightgown, with a wolf baring its teeth at her. "Hey!" I yelled after whistling through my teeth and stomping my foot into the ground angrily.

The wolf turned and glowered at me. The woman got up slowly, but remained flush against the wall. The wolf approached me with ears flat and saliva glistening on it mouth. It snapped its jaws and began to circle me slowly. I remained cautious as I turned with the wolf, not showing him my back. I got my first good look at him finally. He was decidedly male, for he was too large to be a female. He had a short coat of silvery brown hair and dark eyes that were currently watching my every move.

He blew air out of his nose in annoyance when I would not stand still. The woman was watching us looking completely terrified. _She's the woman from the club. Miss look-but-don't-touch. _I snorted and rolled my eyes. The wolf stopped suddenly and faced me. I looked deep into his eyes, showing him I wasn't afraid. He moved towards me low to the floor and threatening. _You attack me and I'll defend myself wolf._

He let out a low pitched bark and leaped at me, jaws wide open. Instinctual, I put my hands up and sent a blast of invisible energy at him. The blast hit its target and he flew back and hit the wall with a painful yelp. I quickly moved over towards the woman and blocked her with my own body. The wolf whined as it got to its feet and limped over towards the doorway. It turned its head towards us and gave me one last look before running past the broken door and out into the hallway.

I opened the doors to the balcony and went outside, the woman following me. I leaned on the iron railing and looked down, waiting for wolf to exit the building. Sure enough, he managed to shove open the glass door with a yelp and ran tail between legs down the street and out of view. The woman tapped me on the arm softly and I turned to her. She was shivering with her arms crossed and a frightened look on her face, still. She gave me a small smile of gratitude and said, "I don't know what happened just now, but thank you. That monster would have killed me if you hadn't got here in time," she put a hand on the side of her face and teared up. "What was that?"

I looked at her with a confused look on my face and cocked my head to the side. "What do you mean 'what was that?' It was a wolf, plain and simple. I'd like to know how it got in here though," I said while walking back into her room. She followed me in and shut and locked the doors behind her. "Oh no, that wasn't an ordinary wolf," she whispered as she sat on her bed. She wiped the tears from her face and continued, "He was a man before that. He used the keys to my apartment to break in while I was sleeping. Then he jumped of my dresser and transformed into a wolf!" She all but screamed.

I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor woman. She had witnessed something she shouldn't have and now she was trembling on her bed in fear. I walked over to her and put my hand reassuringly on her shoulder. "You'll be safe from him now, I promise," I said in a soft but firm voice. I turned on my heel and quickly left the room, with her shouting, "Wait!" I watched as she got up from her bed and stood facing me. "Who are you?"

I smiled from outside the doorway and said, "It's better if you don't know me or remember this. Goodnight." I waved my hand and the door was replaced into the frame, good as new. I walked away from her room and whispered a memory altering charm. I hadn't removed her memory completely, like Lockhart, but I had removed the past few hours.

The street outside was quiet and deserted when I came out of the building. I looked around for any people that might be watching me. Finding no one, I apparated back to my cabin, exhausted. _All in a day's work._

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I've made a few pictures for Serafina if you want to see them. The links are on my homepage. Go look at 'em and remember to review! 


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **Annette Curtis Klause owns _Blood and Chocolate_. JK Rowling owns _Harry Potter_. All I own is a measley plot and a few OC characters.

**A/N: **Say hello to Licet Inter Nobis. It's Latin, and in english it translates to _Just Between Us_. Thank you to all who reviewed. Zelinia, I sent you a reply to your review, but you haven't answered me back. Check your email. Also, I'm sorry if this chapter is a bit iffy. I had and still have mixed feelings on how Rafe will react to Serafina and get along with her in future chapters.

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Chapter 5

A week after the wolf incident, I finally decided to pay Vivian a visit at the chocolate shop. I showered quickly and dressed in a tight fitting black tank and a knee length jean skirt. I finished off the outfit with a wide belt and my white tennnis shoes. I walked downstairs and headed towards the kitchen. I looked at the stove clock and it read 12:34. I gathered bread, meat, cheese, lettuce and mustard to make a sandwich. I ate quickly and rushed out the front door, making sure to lock it and place a few protection spells on the cabin.

The wind wipped through my hair and over my face as I search in my purse to find my car keys. I brushed the thick strands out of my face and unlocked the truck's door. I started up the truck and pulled away from my cabin and down the road. The dirt road was bumpy and I was jerked around in my seat as I tried to tune in a good station on the truck's radio. Between static and old folk music, there really wasn't anything to listen to. I groaned and turned the radio off completely, the sounds of my vehicle would have to do for now.

I was grateful when I finally met smooth concrete after a couple of miles down the rocky road. There were more cars out on the road today, I observed. Of course that could be because today is Monday. I traveled into the city and began looking for the chocolate shop. After turning circles a few times, I brought the truck to a stop in front of the shop. I let out a heavy sigh of annoyance before unbuckling and stepping down out of the truck. A bell jingled as I opened the door and walked in. _What's with the bells!?_

A short, plump older woman with graying hair greeted me from behind a desk. "Good afternoon young lady. Here to buy some chocolates?" She said sweetly, and walked around the desk. I smiled and replied, "Yes, I'm also here to see my friend Vivian. She works here doesn't she?" The woman nodded and pointed at the glass doors behind her. "She's in there."

"Thanks," I said and walked over to the doors. I opened one and peeked into the room, which from the looks of it, was a kitchen. Vivian was cracking an egg on the side of a bowl that was sitting on one of the many counters. I opened the door all the way and let it shut behind me. Vivian looked up from what she was doing and smiled widely. "Hey. I wasn't sure you were coming," she said while wiping the flour off her hands and onto her apron. I picked up an egg and examined it, "I've been going out with Blake these past few days. He's like the human version of the freakin energiser bunny."

Vivian chuckled and took the egg I offered to her. "Ah, that explains why you haven't been over her yet. I was starting to think you'd forgotten all about me," she said with a fake pout. I leaned on the counter and closed my eyes, "No, I haven't forgotten you." I opened my eyes and looked over at her. "Do you need any help?"

She shook her head and said, "Not really. I guess you could stir this if you want to," she said gesturing to the bowl of batter. I grabbed a wooden spoon and began to stir the thick mixture. Vivian went over to the oven and put on a glove before reaching in and pulling out a tray of cookies. She set them down on top of the stove and pulled the glove off. I inhaled deeply and sighed as the smell of beanut butter cookies entered my nose. "Good thing I ate before I came here, or else I would have eaten all of your merchandice."

Vivian grinned and set to work on scraping the cookies off the tray with a spatchula. "So," I continued, "What have you been up to?" She shrugged. "Not much. Although I did meet this boy a few days ago." I could see her smiling secretly. "He's really sweet, has a good sense of humor and is very persuasive. He followed me around the city for days trying to talk to me. He finally found me here and asked me to go out with him."

"Did you go out with him?" I asked. "She looked up at me and gave me a 'What do you think?' look. I shook my head and stirred the batter harder. "What's his name?" Vivian opened a drawer and took out a cookie cutter. "His name is Aiden. He's from the States but is living here." I nodded to myself and replied, "Did ya have a good time?"

Vivian placed the cutter around one of the cookies and pressed down. She then pulled it up along with the extra trimmings and set it aside. "Yeah, we had a great time actualy. We played in the water fountain, and snuck past a security camera in order to get onto a balcony that overlooks the whole city. It sounds kind of childish, but I really enjoyed it." I grinned and tapped the spoon on the side of the bowl and set it down on the counter. I found a stool in the corner and pulled it over to the counter and sat down. Vivian looked up suddenly and turned around.

I let my eyes travel in that direction and saw her cousin, Rafe, coming into the store. He stopped to talk to the woman at the desk. I glanced back at Vivian, who looked nervously in Rafe's direction. I crinckled up my nose in confusion and asked her, "Why are you so nervous? It's just Rafe." She was about to answer me when Rafe opened the doors.

"Hello Vivian," he said loudly with a grin on his face. "Hi Rafe," she said quickly and turned around to continue her work. Rafe let the doors go and stepped into the room. I noticed he was limping slightly. He stopped suddenly and looked over to me, apparently just now realising that I was there. His face contorted into an angry expression as he glared at me. "And what might you be doing here?" I raised a brow in a challenging fashion and said, "I'm visiting my good friend Vivian. What's your excuse?"

He swaggered over to me and placed his arms on either side of me on the counter. I leaned back as he came in closer to me. Vivian whipped around and said, "Rafe leave her alone." He looked over his shoulder and replied with, "Ah, don't worry Vivian. It's not like I'm going to hurt her or anything." Vivian looked less than pleased as he turned to face me again with a smirk on his face. "Im just here to make sure my dear, sweet cousin doesn't get into trouble. She's never been one to handle sticky situations very well."

I smiled and cocked my to the side. The arragonce of this guy amazes even me. I sat up and leaned in towards him. "You know Rafe," I said steadily getting closer to him. "If there's one thing I hate more than anything," I stopped inches from his face. I noticed for the first time that he was moon eyed, one blue and one brown. I reached up and rubbed a finger down his chin, "Is when someone comes into my personal space, uninvited!" I finished off with a yell.

The glazed look in his eye was cut short as I pulled my foot up to rest on his midsection. I frowned and said in a high whisper, "Don't get this close to me again." I shoved my foot hard into his stomach and he was thrown back onto the floor. Vivian ran over and stood in front of me protectively. Rafe groaned as he held his stomach and got to his feet. Vivian said nervously, "Just go Rafe. She isn't a threat to you."

Rafe, looking disheveled, threw his head back and laughed mockingly. "Do you really believe that Vivian?" He grinned and walked over to Vivian and looked over her shoulder at me before looking back to her. "This isn't the first time this has happened. It's not the first time she's attacked me. " Vivian obviously didn't believe him and crossed her arms. "What do you mean Rafe?" I got up from the stool and stood off to the side. I know I've never attacked Rafe before. The only thing I've physicaly attacked while I've been here was the wolf in the girl's apartment.

_Wait, the wolf. The girl said it was a man before it transformed into a wolf. It was limping when it ran off and now Rafe is limping. But that would mean, Rafe's the wolf I fought last week! _My eyes widened as I came to this conclusion. "You," I said quietly. "You were the wolf that broke into that girl's apartment and tried to kill her."

Vivian looked over at me wide eyed before turning angrily to Rafe. "You weren't supposed to go after her Rafe! When are you going to follow the rules?" She yelled at him. He lost his air of arrogance and replied, "You're one to talk considering the fact that you're going out with a meat boy. Maybe I should let Gabriel know his soon-to-be wife is tropsing all over the city with another male."

Vivian drew her lips into a thin line, much like McGonagle. I decided to speak up from my place on the wall, "You're a werewolf, or something like one aren't you?" I asked Rafe, who looked over at me a little shocked. No reply. "Are you one too Vivian?" I asked Vivian, who turned to me slowly. She looked warily at me before answering me, "Yes, I am." I nodded my head and crossed my arms. Vivian walked over to me and touched me on the arm gently. "Sera," she started seriously, "you can not tell anyone about us. If word got out that our pack is living here, we'd all be dead. It's important that we keep our existence a secret."

I couldn't help but laugh at the presently ironic situation. Vivian let go of my arm and cast Rafe a worried glance, which made me laugh harder. I caught my breath and let out a last cough of laughter before putting my hand up in my defence. "I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you, just at the situation." Vivian visibly relaxed and waited for me to continue. "Rafe already knows this, but you don't," I let out a long breath before saying, "Vivian, I'm a witch. A real witch that flies on brooms, casts spells, and mixes potions together." I put my finger up in thought, "Except unlike witches in storybooks and movies, I don't have a large mole on my nose and I don't cackle while stirring my potions."

Complete silence greeted me. I let the information sink in before walking over to Vivian. "I live in a society that's been kept a secret for thousands of years, so don't think I don't know what you all are going through. And I'm not going to tell anyone your secret, it would be like turning my back on my own kind." Vivian smiled at me and I held up my hand. "Friends?"

She took my hand and shook it firmly with hers. "Friends." Rafe snorted at our friendly exchange. We looked over at him and I decided to apologize. "Sorry about the shove I gave you." He put his hands in his pocket and shrugged. "I'm not going to say sorry about what happened last week though. You don't kill someone after they turn you down Rafe, no matter how embarrassing it was."

He looked at me with an unreadable look. I clapped my hands together and said cheerfully, "So don't try to kill anymore people, because if you do, then I'm gonna have to kill you." He raised a brow at my comment and grinned. "Oh really?"

I pursed my lips and put my hands on my hips. "Yeah, really." Vivian shook her head at my sarcastic tone and said, "Hey Sera, do you want to out to the club tonight? You can bring Blake and I'll bring Aiden." Rafe bristled at the mention of the human boy. I noticed this and smirked, "Sure." I headed over to the door and paused before saying over my shoulder, "But make sure you bring a leash for wolf boy over there. There's nothing more annoying than a badly behaved canine."

Rafe glared after me and Vivian tried to hide a small that was sure to break onto her face at any moment. I browsed through the chocolates on the displays and picked out a few before bringing them over to the checkout desk. The woman ringed up the items and placed them into a bag for me. "Will that be all dear?" I nodded and gave her the money. I exited the shop and walked over to my truck. I unlocked the door, got in and set the bag in the passengers seat. I pulled the door shut and started it up. _So much for a nice, quiet vacation._

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A little more happy than I originaly intended it to be, but I guess I can always change it later. Review please! 


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **Annette Curtis Klause owns _Blood and Chocolate_. JK Rowling owns _Harry Potter_. All I own is the plot and a few OC characters.

**A/N: **Thank you to all who reviewed.

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Chapter 6

The ride home was relatively pleasant. The radio stations were still lousy, but I still had the view. _I wish I had brought some cds. _I loosened my grip on the steering wheel as I coasted up a small hill and down to my driveway. I was mildly surprised to find Blake's lime green car parked out in front. He was leaning on the driver's door, apparently waiting for me. I shook my head and smiled after getting out of the truck. "What are you doing here?" I asked and stuffed my hands into my jacket's pockets. "I don't remember planning anything."

Blake grinned and walked over to me. He grabbed me around the waist and twirled around. I laughed and hit his chest playfully. "Am I not allowed to come over if we haven't planned anything?" I gave him a peck on the cheek as he set me down. "Of course you can come over. Speaking of which, Vivian invited us to go to the club tonight. Want to go?" He shifted his weight and bit his lip. "My family is getting together for a reunion tomorrow, I have to pack tonight. It's a four hour drive and we're leaving early, so I can't be out partying. I'm sorry."

I could tell he was upset, but on the other hand he probably felt as if he was ditching me. I nodded my head and replied sadly, "That's OK, I'll just go by myself then." Blake raised an eyebrow before replying, "Sera, you'll have Vivian with you, so you won't be alone. Besides, I could tell that you were beginning to get bored with me anyway." I let out a laugh before saying, "Yeah, you are pretty boring." He stumbled back clutching his heart with a mock look of pain. "Ouch, that hurt Sera."

I rolled my eyes and headed over to the front door. I unlocked it with the keys and looked over my shoulder at Blake. "Have a good time." I yelled to him. He smiled and backed up towards his car. "You too!" I watched him get in and drive off down the bumpy dirt road, before turning and going inside. I spent the afternoon watching reruns of old soap operas on the couch in the living room. "How could you not remember being pregnant and having a baby?" I asked the ditsy blond on the TV. "The stretch marks are kind of hard to miss."

As entertaining as the show was, I couldn't bring myself to watch another minute. My stomach grumbled and I got up to go to the kitchen. I grabbed my wand off the counter, flicked it and watched as the pots and pans assembled themselves on the stove. The refrigerator opened and food flew out onto the island, where it was chopped by knives. I set my wand down and sighed. _Magic is a wonderful thing._ It's not that I'm lazy or anything, but I just cannot cook. Maybe I'll learn someday.

After dinner, I ventured upstairs to take a shower. I turned on the tap and waited for the water to heat up. I stepped in and let the water wash over me. Squeezing shampoo onto my palm, I rubbed it into my hair and began using my nails to get it down to the scalp. My thoughts drifted back to Vivian and Rafe, who'd been revealed as werewolves. Vivian seemed innocent enough, she was clearly uncomfortable with what she was. Rafe on the other hand was a posse leading hooligan with no regard for rules of any kind. _I'm going to have to watch him._ Even though it really isn't any of my business, I can't stand by and watch as innocent muggles are killed for petty reasons. Even if there was a good reason to kill them, it was the police's job, not theirs.

I finished my shower and turned off the water. The air was cold as it hit my skin and the fine hairs on my body raised up. I shivered and brought the towel closer around me as I quickly dried off. It was already dark outside and the clock on the side table read eight. Wearing something too revealing was out of the question, but showing a little skin wouldn't hurt. I pulled a black dress out of the closet and laid it on my bed. It was simple and short with a v-neck and thin straps. I combed through my hair and braided a few small pieces here and there. A lot of makeup wasn't required, so I only applied mascara to my lashes. I put on my dress and shoes before walking in front of the mirror. I turned a few times and looked myself up and down. Shrugging, I grabbed my purse from the armoire and went downstairs.

The traffic was heavy tonight and there was absolutely no place to park. I ended up parking a few blocks down from the club. Making sure to lock my door, I headed down the street with a crowd of people. It was easier to find the switch on the wall this time, and after watching the many tourists try to locate it, I finally pulled it up for them. They said their thanks as they went inside the dark passage. I followed a few paces behind, not in any hurry. The pounding music reached my ears as I entered the club. It was jam packed with people and their was excitement in the air. I descended the stairs and saw Vivian talking with an unfamiliar guy at the bar.

"Hey," I said after taking a seat. Vivian turned to me and smiled. "You're finally here, I was worried you got lost or something," she pointed to the guy. "This is Aiden." He turned to me and held out his hand. "And you must be Sera, Vivian's told me a lot about you," he said while shaking my hand. He had soft brown eyes, dark brown hair and possessed a boyish charm. I grinned at him and gave a nervous chuckle. "Not everything I hope. Otherwise where would the mystery be?" I gave Vivian a very pointed look and she shook her head as if to say, 'I didn't tell him about that.'

The bartender came and took my drink order. "Also, could you put this somewhere safe for me," I said handing him my purse. He nodded and set it into one of the cabinets filled with what looked like absinthe bottles. "So Sera, Vivian told me you were bringing your boyfriend," Aiden said. I shrugged before replying, "No, he had to go to a family reunion." I put my hand up. "And he isn't my boyfriend. We've only been going out for a week." He nodded and turned his cup in his hand. Vivian looked disappointed, "Sorry. You can dance with Aiden if you want." I smiled and said, "No thanks."

My drink was set in front of me and I held it up to my mouth and took a sip. Normally I don't need a guy to have fun with, but that includes everything but dancing. If Vivian and I were here alone then I could dance with her, but right now she wants to dance with Aiden. I understood. After all, she was crazy about him. I looked towards the dance floor, where they were laughing and having a good time. I put one of my elbows on the bar and sighed into my drink. "You know, putting your elbows on the table is rude," someone said. I found that Rafe was sitting next to me drinking out of a shot glass. I smirked and turned to him. "This is a bar, so that rule doesn't apply." He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Think you're smart girl?" He said in a low voice.

"I know I'm smart, puppy." I replied sarcastically. His eyes were hard and cold as he turned to look fully at me.

"My cousin may like you, but I don't," he bit back.

"Oh no, Rafe doesn't like me. Now I'll have to go crawl back into a hole," I faked a shocked and worried tone while covering my mouth.

Rafe smirked this time. "You'd be safer in a hole. I'm a lot stronger than you girl, and if you get in the way of my fun again, you'll find out just how much."

"You've got some nerve threatening me, puppy. I thought the limping would remind you of what I could do, but apparently you've forgotten."

"Stop calling me puppy," he all but shouted.

"Well then stop calling me girl," I said coolly. "My name is Serafina, and that is what you'll call me."

"Fine, one question though."

"What Rafe?"

He raised an eyebrow and sucked on the inside of his cheek. "Where did your boyfriend go, hm?" He smiled wickedly. "Did he find out you're a witch and run off to tell his fellow village idiots?"

I smiled before standing up and taking a step closer to him. "Bite me," I whispered harshly. He was clearly amused with my comment, as he grinned widely and sipped his drink. I turned my back to him and walked to the dance floor. Vivian greeted me with a smile, "Wanna dance?" I shrugged my shoulders and replied, "Sure."

There wasn't a lot of room to breathe let alone dance. Sweat gathered on my forehead and underneath my arms. I felt myself brushing up against complete strangers, but for some reason, I didn't care. The beat of the music pounded along with my heart, sending me into a surreal haze. I twirled and rocked along with Vivian and Aiden. My breathing seemed to echo inside my head, bouncing off empty walls. I knew the alcohol was effecting me.

I was vaguely aware of someone watching me in one of the dark corners of the room. I could feel him watching me with curious eyes, but I continued to dance. I raised my hands and used them to pull my hair back away from my sweaty face. A slow, lazy paced song filled the room and I began to sway to it. A sudden lack of energy washed over me. My legs shook and gave out, and I fell. Aiden caught my arms and held onto me as Vivian helped me to stand up. "I think that's enough dancing for you, at least for tonight," Vivian giggled as she and Aiden helped over to the bar.

"I'm fine guys. Really. I'm just a little tired, maybe I should go home now," I laughed and waved them off. I breathed in deeply before trying to stand up, and failing miserably. Aiden pulled my left arm over his shoulder and around the back of his neck. "We'll take you home Sera. You shouldn't drive while you're drunk," he said and pulled me along towards the stairs. I tutted and shook a finger at him, "I'm not drunk Aiden, I'm intoxicated." He snorted and chuckled at me. I called over my shoulder, "Vivian, can you get my purse please?"

Vivian nodded and leaned across the bar to talk to the bartender. I stumbled up the first few steps before picking my feet up successfully. Aiden and I waited at the top of the stairs for Vivian, who returned to us with my purse in her hand. "Okie dokie. Let's go to the truck now," my voice came out slightly slurred. Vivian took up residence on my other side as we walked out of the club. "It's blue isn't it?"

I nodded and said, "It's a few blocks from here. It's parked in front of a book store." We walked on the empty sidewalks, all the the way to my truck. I pulled my keys out and unlocked the doors before getting into the spacious backseat and buckling up. Aiden took the keys from me and sat in the driver's seat. Vivian joined him and sat in the passengers seat. They pulled their doors shut and buckled up before Aiden started the truck. "You know where that big cabin is Vivian?" I asked her. "The one you're staying in? Yeah. You just take the exit that leads up to Northshire Peak, right?" She asked.

"Mm hm, that's the one. Turn onto the dirt road and follow it, It'll lead you straight to my cabin." I covered my mouth to mask my yawn. We pulled away from the curb and drove down the street. I slept briefly on the way home, zoning in and out at times. Street lights swept past my window and I covered my face with my arm. I heard Vivian talking quietly with Aiden, though I'm not entirely sure what they were talking about. Me most likely.

The truck gave a sudden jerk and stopped. I looked out the window to see the cabin, with a light on in my bedroom. _I knew I forgot to do something before I left. _I had also forgotten to keep the light on above the doorway, so I had to struggle to find the lock and push in the key. After I opened the door I flipped the switches on the wall to turn on the living room lights. Aiden and Vivian followed me inside and closed the front door behind them. "Wow, I wouldn't mind living here," Aiden admitted as he sat down carefully on the leather couch.

I smiled and took off my coat and set my bag and keys on the kitchen counter. "Are you guys hungry? I can fix something up for you if you are." Vivian shook her head and looked over at Aiden, who also shook his head. Vivian sat on the island and inspected the kitchen with her eyes. She sighed and slouched before saying, "Sera go to bed. You obviously need your rest." I opened up the fridge and pulled out a diet coke. "I took a nap in the truck, I'm good for another couple of hours. Want to watch TV or something?"

Vivian slid off the island and walked over to me. She put hand on my shoulder, "Actually I think we should go. I'll call for a cab." I frowned and set my coke down. "You don't have to go and do that. You two are more than welcome to stay here tonight. After all, you drove me home." Vivian sighed and looked towards Aiden who shrugged. "Alright, I'll stay." I fixed my sight on Aiden, "And what about you?"

He looked shyly around the room and back at me. "Are you sure you have enough room?" I laughed. "Yep. I've got three bedrooms and three bathrooms to match. You can have the one downstairs and Vivian can have the one on this level." He smiled and stretched out on the couch. "I guess I could stay here, to keep an eye on things for ya." I smirked and took a swig of my drink. "Well that's what I need don't I?" I rolled my eyes. "A big strong man to protect my house and livestock."

He looked confused. "Livestock? Where are you from, Texas?" Vivian closed her eyes and leaned on the counter beside me. "I'm from Kentucky," I said. Aiden chuckled, "The horse racing capitol of America." I threw the now empty can into the trash. "Yes, that's what we're know best for." I stretched my arms above my head. "Let's watch some TV," Vivian said and headed for the couch nearest to the television. I lit a fire in the fire place and plopped down in the recliner.

* * *

_Tap. Tap. Tap. _I was jolted awake by the noise. I rolled over in my bed to look at the window. The blinds were closed and the curtains were drawn. I yawned and shoved the covers back before stepping onto the cold wooden floor. The soft tapping continued as I pulled the curtains back and opened the blinds. A familiar snow white owl was tapping her beak on the glass. I walked over to the balcony doors and unlocked them. I grabbed my robe off the back of a chair and slipped it on. It was cold outside. Probably somewhere in the low thirties. I shivered as I went outside and greeted the owl. "Hello Hedwig," I smiled at the beautiful snow owl as she lifted her leg for me to accept a letter attached to it. "Got a letter for me girl?" She hooted softly. I untied the letter from around her leg and opened it. It was from Harry.

_Hey Sera. It's been a while since we've heard from you and we were beginning to worry. How are things going up there? Made any friends? I suppose you have, you were always good at making friends. Anyway, Ginny and I have finished planning the wedding. Fast, I know. It will be hosted at the Weasley's house on August twelfth at three pm. Ginny wants to know if you want to go shopping with her and Hermione. She is still looking for a wedding dress and Mrs. Weasley apparently isn't helping her all that much. She needs more than just Hermione's opinion on what dress she should buy. Otherwise she might just break down and let Fleur help her. I have to say that would be fun to watch. Please allow Hedwig to rest a few days before sending her back to me. She flew a long way to get to you._

_Love always, Harry_

I folded the letter and stuck it into my pocket and sat down in one of the wooden rocking chairs. Hedwig gave a loud screech before flying over and landing on the railing. I raised my hand and scratched her affectionately under her beak. "You'll have to stay here for a few days Hedwig, to get your strength back." She closed her eyes and nipped my finger. I looked through the iron railing to see the forest below. "You can go hunt if you want. Just be sure to come back here after dark." Hedwig cocked her head to the side and stared at me. I smiled at her and leaned back into the chair. She flapped her wings and shook before taking off into the sky.

A shower was running downstairs when I came back in. I took a piece of parchment and a pen out of my suitcase and jotted down a response to Harry's letter.

_Sorry for worrying you guys. I've been having a lot of fun with my new friends Blake and Vivian. It's wonderful to hear that you and Ginny have the wedding planned out. Just a little over a month away. I would love to go shopping with Ginny and Hermione. When should I meet up with them? And how?_

_Love, Sera_

I put the pen down and got an envelope out of my suitcase. I folded the letter and put it into the envelope. I quickly brushed my teeth and combed through my hair before putting on a t-shirt and jeans. I made my way downstairs and went into the kitchen. Vivian was eating a bowl of cereal at the counter. She looked up and smiled, "Good morning Sera. I hope you don't mind, I was starving." She gestured to the cereal. I shook my head, "It's fine."

Aiden walked up the stairs and moved sluggishly towards the kitchen. He was fully dressed, but his hair was damp and tangled from the shower. I giggled as I poured myself a bowl of cereal. "Not a morning person?" He gave a lazy smile as he sat down next to Vivian. "Nope." I leaned against the counter and began eating. After I was finished I said, "I'll drive you guys back into the city. Ready?" Vivian nodded and went into her bedroom to get something. I grabbed my jacket off the counter and walked over to the front door. Aiden joined me and Vivian came out of the bedroom with her coat.

We talked on the way back to the city. Aiden told me about his comics and about the book he was working on. Vivian made a comment about his drawings. "They're wonderful. He drew a picture of me among some wolves. It was very life-like." She played with the radio. "I wish I could draw," I moped. "Perhaps you could teach me at some point Aiden. I'd settle for being able to draw a good cat." He laughed from the backseat. "All it takes is some practice." I gave a snort. "And a boat load of talent."

I parked outside the chocolate shop in front of a black SUV. "Oh, that's just wonderful," I said sarcastically. Rafe and his goons were waiting for us outside the shop. Vivian sighed heavily and got out of the truck. Aiden gave me a look and cautiously opened his door and stepped out. I locked the doors behind me as I followed Aiden onto the sidewalk. I walked past Vivian and the boys and headed straight into the shop. Aiden was standing off to the side, waiting for Vivian, who was talking to the boys.

"Just get out of here Rafe. I'm not in the mood for it today," Vivian said loudly. Rafe glared at her and snapped his fingers at the other boys, "Let's go. Vivian obviously would rather hang out with her pathetic meat boy." He brushed past Vivian angrily while the others slouched behind him. I watched them drive off and decided it was time for me to go as well. Aiden laid a hand on Vivian's shoulder for comfort. She smiled her gratitude and took his hand and went into the shop.

"Well, I see I'm not needed here anymore, so I'll leave," I said with a smirk on my face. I noticed the slight blush on Vivian's cheeks as she let go of Aiden's hand. "Thanks for driving us back," she gave me a hug. "And try to stay away from alcohol for a while." I laughed and said, "Alright." I turned to Aiden and offered my hand, which he shook with his own. "It was nice meeting you Sera. I hope you and Vivian and I will be able to have a normal day together soon," he said with a smile. I returned the smile, "You bet."

* * *

Well that was a piece of crap. I always have a great idea of what to put in the chapter, but once I start writing it, it ends up completely pointless. Ugh. You don't even have to review to this one. The next chapter will have Sera bonding with Vivian and Aiden. It will also feature a very pissed off Rafe, a fight, and a merciful Sera. It'll be exciting, I promise!


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **Annette Curtis Klause owns Blood and Chocolate. JK Rowling owns Harry Potter. I own the plot and the original characters.

**a/n: **Thank you _Raging Raven _and _Logue _for reviewing. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 7 

Sera moped around the cabin for days waiting for Blake to return. _Jeez, am I pathetic or what? _She frowned. She listened to the fuzzy radio as she soaked in the jacuzzi outside. Hedwig was currently flying back to London with her letter to Harry. _I hope she gets there safely. It's such a long distance between Romania and England. _She sipped from her glass of lemonade and set it on the arm of a chair.

Looking at her pruned fingers, she scrunched her nose and pulled hoisted herself up and out of the steaming water. She grabbed the glass and wrapped a fluffy towel around herself. The cool air inside the cabin made her shiver. She slipped on an over sized Guns and Roses t-shirt and plopped down onto one of the couches with the phone. Sera dialed Vivian's number and played with a strand of her wet hair while waiting for someone to pick up.

"Hello?" a voice asked. It wasn't Vivian. It was definitely female, but deeper than Vivian's.

"Um, is Vivian there?" Sera asked.

There was a long pause and she could hear the woman breathing. "And who might I ask is calling?" She didn't sound friendly.

"This is Serafina. I'm a friend of Vivian," Sera's voice turned stern.

She heard a scuffling noise before, "Here, it's for you."

"Hello?" She smiled at the sound of her friends voice.

"It's Sera," she paused. "So, what are you up to?" she asked, overly enthusiastic.

Vivian chuckled on the other end of the line, "He's not back yet, huh?"

Sera groaned and laid her head on the arm of the couch. "No, he hasn't even called. I'm beginning to think he doesn't like me."

Vivian snorted, "I doubt a reasonable male of any species could resist a slice like you."

Sera gasped, "Vivian!" She could hear her trying to cover up her laughter.

"What?" Vivian asked innocently, "you know you are."

"The chick in the red dress that was at the club was a slice," Sera smirked. "I am no slice."

Vivian exhaled loudly. "I'm going to be showing Aiden an amazing view of the city tonight. Wanna come?"

Sera looked thoughtful. "As long as you won't mind a third wheel tag-along."

"Of course not. I'll do my best to make it a group thing," she giggled.

Sera sighed, "Alright, where do you want me to meet you?"

"At the old church downtown," Vivian said.

"Okay, will do. Bye," Sera replied.

It had warmed up considerably by the time it had gotten dark. Sera rolled her truck's window down and stuck her hand out, as if to catch the wind. She smiled at the beautifully lit city. It was glistening like a Victorian chandelier. She drove onto the church's street, and noticed two figures standing at the end. They shielded their eyes from the headlights as stopped the car in front of them.

Sera got out and was greeted by Aiden and Vivian. "There you are," Aiden greeted.

"Here I am," she said in response. She smiled, clapped her hands together and said, "Well, are we going to go or just stand here?"

Vivian led her and Aiden over to a black iron fence. She grabbed the top, pulled herself up, swung over and landed cleanly on the other side. She smiled widely, "Coming?"

Sera went ahead of Aiden and climbed over the fence. He followed and ended up catching his shirt on a jagged edge of a bar, which ended up ripping when he tried to yank it off. He fell flat on his but and then stood up. Sera and Vivian laughed quietly as he brushed himself off. "You okay?" Vivian asked. He nodded, embarrassed.

Aiden and Sera followed Vivian as they wound through deserted alleyways and streets. They reached a large building with a brick wall surrounding the perimeter. After some difficulty, Vivian got them up onto the wall and began walking towards the building. When they got close enough to the roof, they jumped down onto it. Vivan sat down near the edge of the roof, and Aiden and Sera followed suite.

The view of the city _was _amazing. Unlike at the cabin, she had a clear view of everything. It wasn't just clumped all together. Sera looked curiously over the edge to see a balcony full of wolf statues. "Hey Vivian, what are those for?"

She looked down and then back at me. "Oh, they are the statues that guarded Bucharest castle, many centuries ago." she hung her leg over the edge. "Actually, they're all that's left of Bucharest castle."

Sera smiled, "They're beautiful."

Vivian nodded. "People would pray to them, hoping to gain their supernatural protection."

Aiden began discussing his life with them. It was a hard life too. He had an abusive father and ran away from home when he was only sixteen. He wrote and drew comic books for a living. Sera felt bad for him. He had no family and no one to care about him, except Vivian and herself. Sera chuckled, "Well, if you ever need a mom, I'm willing to share mine." Aiden grinned. "I may take you up on that offer someday."

Sera followed behind Vivian and Aiden as they made their way back to the chapel. "I'm inspired now. I'm going to start all over with my book," said Aiden. "All over?" Vivian asked. He nodded, "Yeah. It's gonna be about the Magyar princes and Bucharest castle. Back in the loup-garou glory days, when they ran the city. And their rise and fall." Vivian looked disappointed. "Why do they have to fall?"

Aiden laughed, "What? People who could turn themselves into animals. How could we not be threatened by that?" Sera and Vivian smiled knowingly. She was about to join in the conversation, when a vehicle honked behind them. They ducked out of the way and went into a small alleyway. Vivian leaned back against the wall and Aiden propped himself up next to her. They were getting awful cosy, so Sera decided to give them some privacy.

"I'll just go over here then," she said walking back around the corner of the building. She stopped and looked at the ground, pretending to be interested. _I am glad that they found each other. I am not jealous. _She smiled at the ground and looked up. The smile turned into a frown as she spotted Rafe coming out of the shadows. Sera crossed her arms and did her best to look annoyed.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

He grinned and flicked an imaginary piece of dust off his coat. "Could ask you the same question."

"I asked first, Rafe."

He sauntered over to her. "Don't worry your pretty little head Sera, I'm just here for my cousin," he reached up and patted the top of her head. Sera jerked her head her head back and smacked his arm away. He took a step back with his arms up in mock defeat and chuckled, "My fight is not with you tonight, little one." Sera glared at him.

Vivian came out from the alleyway, her eyes golden. _I hope Aiden didn't see...she's not ready to tell him._ "What happened?" Sera asked touching Vivian's shoulder. Vivian pulled back slightly, "I just cut my finger. It's no big deal." Rafe came up to Vivian and grabbed her arm. He looked at Aiden and smirked.

"Some girls will steal your heart. This bitch'll eat it," he said and pulled on Vivian.

"Hey, don't touch her," Aiden tried to pull her back, and Rafe shoved him back.

Vivian stopped Rafe. "Rafe, please don't," she pleaded. Sera looked between the two nervously.

Rafe let go of Vivian's arm. "You stay away from my cousin, meat boy," he pointed to Aiden. He turned to Vivian.

"You owe Gabriel. If it wasn't for him, you wouldn't even be alive." An SUV pulled up behind them. Rafe sneered, "After all, it was your fault your parents were slaughtered."

Vivian glared at him. "Go to hell Rafe."

He smirked and walked over to the vehicle. "I probably will," he said over his shoulder, and got in. He drove off with the rest of the group, leaving the trio in silence.

"What was he talking about Vivian?" Aiden asked her.

Vivian turned to look at him. "I won't let you be my fault too," she said and then gave Sera an apologetic look. She whipped around and ran off down the street, not once looking back. Both Sera and Aiden yelled after her, but she had already disappeared into the darkness. Aiden looked over at Sera, concern written on his face. "Is there something she's not telling me?"

* * *

Blake returned home a few days later, expecting Sera to run into his arms. She had faked being sick so that he would leave her alone for a while. His reply was, "I'm sorry you're feeling bad Sera. I wish you'd let me come over to take care of you." She told him that Vivian was helping her, which of course wasn't true. Sera hadn't heard from Vivian for days, and she was getting worried. 

Aiden had talked to her on the phone, asking her if she'd heard from Vivian. He was obviously heartbroken, and Sera had invited him to come over and hang out. He declined, saying he was going to work on his book to pass the time. He told her to let him know if Vivian calls her. Sera tried to call Vivian, but got no answer.

She sat on the couch with her legs pulled close to her body. The only thing on the tv at three in the afternoon was infomercials. "Try our new Oxyclean formula-" she turned off the tv. "Tried it. Doesn't work," she said boredly. Sera walked into the kitchen and opened up the fridge. "Hm, what do I want?" she looked at her choices. Tuna, yogurt, and baby carrots. "I think I'll have some carrots," she took them out along with the ranch dip.

She sat at the table and began eating. On her fourth carrot the phone rang. _Not Blake again, please. _She ran over to the receiver and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Sera?" It was her mom.

"Hi mom," she said and rolled her eyes.

"How's the trip going sweetie? You've barely spoken to me in over a month and a half."

Sera began eating again. "Yeah, sorry about that. The cabin's really nice and I've made made some friends."

"What are their names? How old are they? Are they witches and wizards too?" Lidia spoke quickly in a high pitched voice.

"Is this going to be on the test?" she asked sarcastically. "Their names are Aiden and Vivian. They are my age and are not magical." _Except for Vivian._

Her mother sighed. "Are you staying out of trouble?"

Sera smirked. "Are you?"

"Touche'," Lidia giggled. "Well if you're not in the mood to talk then I'll just call you later, then."

It was Sera's turn to sigh. "I'm sorry mom. I just have a lot on my mind right now."

Lidia's voice was calm and warm when she spoke, "I know sweetie. Just call me when you get a chance, okay?"

"Alright, bye," she clicked off the phone and laid it on the table. A few minutes later it rang again. Sera threw her hands up, "Am I being punished or something?" She picked up the phone and hit the talk button.

"Yes?" she asked impatiently.

"What's wrong you?" Aiden asked on the other end of the line.

Her eyes widened. "I'm sorry Aiden!"

He laughed lightly and continued, "I just got a letter from Vivian, telling me to meet her later at this old chapel. You should probably come with me."

Sera shook her head, relieved. "No Aiden, you go on ahead and meet her. I'll meet up with the both of you after you have talked."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Go meet her Aiden," She said reassuringly. _They should talk to each other without me. I'll just be in their way._

"Okay, but try to get there before it gets dark. See ya later."

* * *

It was nearing five when Sera decided to meet up with them. She threw on a white t-shirt and black jeans and pulled her hair back in a pony tail. Sera grabbed her jeans jacket just in case it got cold. She didn't feel like driving tonight, so she concentrated on the image of the chapel in her mind. She felt a tug and a gust of wind before landing hard on a stone floor. 

Sera stood up and rubbed her now sore rear end. "Ouch," she said and looked around for Aiden and Vivian. She then realized she was on the second level of the chapel. _I don't think they're up here. _Sera walked towards the stairs, but suddenly stopped. A confessional had been ripped apart, from the looks of it. Wooden pieces were scattered on the ground. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked to her right.

A portion of the wooden railing that prevented people from falling off the second level was missing. It looked as if someone had been pushed through the railing. Had there been a fight? Sera walked slowly over to the gap in the railing, and looked down. Aiden was lying on the ground next to a wolf. _Rafe._ What had happened? She rushed down the stairs and ran towards them.

She shook Aiden, who rolled over and opened his eyes. His face was cut and bloody. "You're late," he said trying to be humorous. "Are you okay Aiden?" He nodded and looked over at Rafe, an angry and scared expression on his face. "He attacked me. I didn't know what to do," he said and pulled himself into a sitting position. "What in God's name is he?" Sera face paled, "You'll know soon enough."

She watched as Rafe's wolf form glittered with light as he shifted back to his human form. Sera turned her head away once he shifted back, naked. Rafe made a sound and open his mouth to breathe. She could tell he was struggling and turned to look at him. A silver, star shaped pendant necklace was embedded in his neck, and it was burning into the flesh. Black veins pulsed underneath his skin. _He's dying from the silver. _Sera crawled over to him and made a move to take the necklace out of his neck.

"Sera what are you doing? He's tried to kill me!" Aiden yelled from behind her. "He doesn't deserve to live!" He made an aggressive movement towards Rafe, who's eyes widened in fright.

Sera stopped him with her hand, "No!" Sera looked at him. "He'll get what he deserves, Aiden, but not today!" She pointed to the door. "Get out of here Aiden. I'll deal with Rafe."

Aiden glanced at Rafe and then said, "How are you going to save him? It doesn't look like he's gonna last much longer."

Sera growled, "That is my buisness not yours." She jabbed her finger towards the door and yelled, "Go now!"

Aiden was too stunned for words. He backed away from her and ran out of the chapel. Sera calmed herself down and looked down at Rafe. It sounded as if he was being strangled. Gutteral and wet noises came from his throat as he tried to breath. She sighed and pulled out her wand from the inside of her jacket's pocket. _I'm glad I was Madam Pomfrey's apprentice for six months._

Sera pointed her wand at the wound in Rafe's neck as he turned his head to look at her. His eyes were clouded over and his face held a frightened and pitiful expression. Their eyes met, and Sera could see the pain in them. Not just because he thought he was going to die, but because of something much deeper. Abandonment.

She murmured a spell to extract the silver from his bloodstream. She pulled her wand away from the wound and watched as a string of silver magicaly pulled itself out of him and vanished into midair. The black, silver infested veins disappeared and healthy red ones took their place. His breathing returned to normal and the liquidy noises ceased. Sera said a spell to heal the wound and watched as it cleaned itself, closed up, and healed over smooth.

She charmed some clothes onto him and put her wand back into her jacket pocket. Rafe reached up and felt his neck, amazed. His eyes never left hers as he sat up and faced her. Sera waited for him to say or do something. He stared at her with an emotion she couldn't place. Gratefullness, or appreciation perhaps? _Highly unlikely._

She tensed when he moved over to her and bent down to her ear. His breath was hot in her ear when he spoke, "You saved me." He was very close to her now, their bodies touching. Sera mind ran circles as she tried to find the right words. "It wasn't your time to die," she whispered. She jumped and trembled as he nibbled her shoulder and then blew cool air onto the same spot.

He pulled away from her shoulder and came up to her face. He put his hands in her hair and leaned in close to her face. Sera was fast becoming uncomfortable, but didn't do anything to stop him. Their lips were mere centimeters apart as he whispered, "And for that, little one, I owe you my life." His lips decended fast upon hers, giving her no time to pull back or escape. _What's he doing?_

He kissed her softly at first, making sure she was comfortable. Sera watched as Rafe's eyes fluttered and closed as he kissed her more deeply. She parted her lips slightly and he took the opportunity to run his tongue along her lower lip. She pulled him closer to her and shut her eyes, feeling the warmth radiating off his body. His tongue delved into her mouth and ran over her teeth. He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers as they both panted.

Rafe pulled her up with him as he stood. He held the side of her face with his hand and stroked her cheek. Sera was shaking and looking everywhere but at him. He brought her chin up to look at him. They stared at each other for what seemed like hours before Sera took a few steps back away from him. He looked at her curiously as she picked up her jacket. She pulled it to her chest and wrapped her arms around it.

Sera looked at him and he smiled. After everything she was afraid of him now? She backed away from him and his smile fell. "I can't do this," she whispered and apparated out. The last thing she heard was Rafe shouting, "Wait!"

* * *

A little ooc, I know. But the movie actually showed a softer side of Rafe, and I just wanted to bring it out here. Anyway, I really hope you liked this chapter. Review please. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **You already know that I don't own either of these books. Only the plot and OC characters are mine.

**a/n:** _Rigel Latrador, Raging Raven, _and _Logue, _thank you all for reviewing! Reviews make me so very happy and I love hearing your opinions. And I also hope you squeal for this chapter, _Logue. _This chapter is dedicated to you! Much love.

* * *

Chapter 8 

_Pop! _The sound echoed around the cabin's living room as Sera apparated in. She appeared in front of the roaring fireplace and collapsed onto her knees. Her face held a shocked expression, her mouth tight lipped and her jaw tight. _Why? _She stood up and walked over to an armchair and sat down. She ran a hand into her hair and closed her eyes. _Was that his way of showing thanks, or is he truly attracted to me? _She smirked. _Not a chance. _Sera wasn't good at talking herself into things, especially if she was uncomfortable with the situation. And she was very uncomfortable.

The sun was setting in the sky and her stomach was starting to rumble. She decided to eat something even though her stomach was in knots. After dinner, Sera cast some protection spells around the cabin. She also cast a spell to alert her if someone was slinking around the area. Normally Sera wouldn't take these precautions, but she had a funny feeling that at some point, she would have an unwelcome visitor.

She showered and went to bed early. Her sleep was plagued by dreams of Rafe. His naughty smile giving her shivers of delight. Him running his hands through her hair, pulling her head back to kiss him. Walking together in the city, his leather coat on her shoulders. Sera's alarm clock went off and she sat up rapidly in her bed, throwing the covers off. Her forehead was covered in a thin sheet of sweat and her mouth was dry. After turning off the alarm, she cleaned herself up and went down for some breakfast.

Just as she sat down to eat a bowl of oatmeal, the protective spell sounded off and someone knocked on her front door. Sera tensed as she left her food to answer the door. She looked out of the little peephole to see who it was. Aiden was currently standing in the doorway shifting his weight nervously from one foot to the other. She let out a sigh of relief and flicked her wand to turn off the alarm. The noise was silenced as she opened the door. "Hello Aiden," Sera said before crossing her arms.

She was still slightly angry with him for proclaiming that Rafe should die. Even though he was wrong about Rafe, she couldn't help but sympathize with him. She would have behaved the same way towards someone who had tried to kill her. "Sera," he glanced behind himself before looking back at her, "can I come in? Please?" Sera waited a moment before stepping aside to let him in. "Thanks," he said and walked hastily past her.

Sera sat on the couch across from him with her untouched oatmeal. "What's up?" she asked casually after taking a bite.

Aiden gave a half-hearted smile before answering, "I'm glad to see you're alright," he paused, "Is Rafe still alive?"

She raised both of her eyebrows. "Oh yes, very much so."

He wasn't happy with the answer. He closed his eyes and exhaled loudly, "Why did you save him?" he opened his eyes and she noticed the anger in them. "Or better yet, how did you save him in the first place?"

Sera shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I think it would be best if you don't know the details," her voice wasn't as assertive as she'd wanted it to be.

Aiden looked gaped at her incredulously and stood up. "I just spent all of last night and this morning dodging Rafe's buddies, Sera. They tracked me down and came to my apartment. I was packing when I heard them stop their car outside, and I had to run out the back door just to make sure they didn't see me," Aiden said, flustered. "I've been through hell these past two days, and you don't even care enough to tell me what's going on."

Sera set her bowl down on the coffee table. "Aiden, I'm only doing this to keep you safe."

Aiden laughed bitterly, "Well, Rafe found out where I lived without me telling him. It's only a matter of time before he figures out where I am now. He's gonna come here and try to kill me again," he turned serious. "He'll probably try to kill you while he's at it."

She smiled and shook her head. "Oh, I don't think you'll have to worry about me. I'm not even sure if I'm on his 'To Kill' list." Aiden looked suspicious as she continued, "Even if they do come here, I'm not going to let them hurt you."

He sat down slowly, "And how are you going to do that, hm? Wave a magic wand and make them all just disappear?" he wiggled his fingers in the air.

Sera smirked and chuckled, "What if I can?"

Aiden looked like he was about to laugh but stopped short, "What do mean?"

She stood up and walked towards the fireplace, her back to him. She shrugged before saying, "You wanted to know what the big secret was, and now I'm going to tell you," she turned around to face him. He was listening. _Here it goes. _"Aiden, I'm not quite sure how to tell you this without you freaking out, so I'll just say it. I'm a witch and your girlfriend's a werewolf." The silence that followed made her cringe inside. _Say something!_

His voice was hushed when he finally spoke, "That would explain the silver...," Aiden looked weary. "You aren't a bad witch, are you?"

Sera smiled with relief and shook her head, "No Aiden, I'm a good witch. There is no devil worshiping in my craft. Promise."

Aiden nodded and the corners of his mouth turned up. An idea popped into his head, "Hey, you wouldn't be able to somehow get my stuff, would you?"

She put her hands in her pockets and said mysteriously, "Maybe, but first I'll make some breakfast. I'm guessing you haven't eaten in a while."

He smiled and followed her into the kitchen.

* * *

After they finished breakfast, Sera apparated Aiden and herself over to his apartment. He gathered his things quickly and she apparated him back to the cabin. He set his things down on the floor and let out a breath he had been holding. "Well, that was fast," Sera said humorously. 

"I wasn't sure if they were watching or not," Aiden said while leaning on the couch with his arms crossed. "That apparating thing is neat. Do all witches and wizards do that?"

"Not everyone can do it. It takes a lot of concentration and focus, and most people don't have enough patience to learn."

"It's hard to believe there's a magical community out there," he said with a faraway look in his eye. He stared off into space.

Sera giggled, "Come back Aiden," she snapped her fingers in front of him.

He blinked and looked at the ground. "So, what do we do now?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. I guess we could watch TV or get into the jacuzzi." Sera thought for a second. "Or we could play pool. I completely forgot about it up until now."

"Great! I'll put my stuff away and meet you downstairs," he said excitedly. Aiden grabbed his weathered and beaten bags and hauled them towards his temporary bedroom.

Sera descended the stairs to the bottom level where the pool table resided. She racked up the balls and pulled down two pool sticks from the wall. Aiden joined her and they began the game. He had never played before, so Sera had to teach him. He was a fast learner, so the game's pace sped up after a few turns.

The rest of the day was spent lounging around and talking. Aiden was fascinated with Sera's world, asking question after question about what magical folk do day to day, and magic's history. Sera was oddly comfortable telling him her secrets. The only other person she would talk to willingly about her world was Vivian. Sera's thoughts were brought back to her friend. _I hope she's okay. I wonder if Rafe told her about what happened at the chapel. _Hopefully he left out some intimate details.

* * *

Aiden went to bed shortly after eating dinner, which left Sera alone in the living room watching The Twilight Zone. She yawned and looked out the window to see an almost full moon. She stared at it, admiring its beauty. Why couldn't things in her life be simple? Ever since she decided to take this break from all the drama, all she'd gotten was more drama. It was almost like someone was screwing things up for her, just to watch her struggle. 

But did she regret coming here? No. Sera had made three wonderful friends and planned on staying with them for as long as she could. Making friends was not easy for her, surprisingly. She had simply been lucky when she met the Harry, Ron and Hermione. Sera smiled and got up from the couch and headed for the door. She grabbed her wand off the table and pulled her jacket off the coat stand. Sera remembered to charm her wand to vibrate in case someone other than herself went near the cabin.

The night air was cool and breezy as she walked down the dirt road that led to her cabin. The moon provided the light for her to see, so she didn't have to use her wand. To her left was a cliff and on her right there was a patch of woods, dark and quiet. The leaves swayed on the branches as the wind blew through them. Sera could hear small noises as the squirrels scurried up their trees to hide their acorns.

She pulled her coat tighter around herself when a strong gust of wind blew past. She heard a rather loud chuckle emit from a tree a few feet ahead. She stiffened and walked towards the tree, coming to a stop in front of it. "Who's there?" her voice was low and harsh. Another chuckle was heard as Rafe came around the tree with an amused grin on his face. "A tad chilly out tonight, eh Sera?"

Sera wasn't sure how to react to him this time. It was just too weird. She took a few steps away from him and asked, "What are you doing up here?" He shrugged and moved towards her, "Not much going on back home, everyone's looking for Vivian's meat boy." Sera noticed the bitterness in his tone, "You still sore about him almost killing you?"

Rafe stopped and looked at her, annoyed, "I smell him on you. Is he staying with you now?"

Sera smiled, "Yes, and you're not going to tell any of your so called friends where he is."

He raised a brow at her, "Am I?" He started to make his way over to her again, "And how, might I ask, are you planning on stopping me?" There was no more room for her to back up, the cliff was a step away. She played with the hem of her jacket as she tried to think of something to say back. He reached for her and she sidestepped and tried to dart around him, but he grabbed her arm.

"What do want from me?" Sera yelled. Rafe flinched at her loud voice and pulled her to him. "I just want to know who you are Sera."

Sera snorted, "Gee, do you want a blood sample too?" He let go of her. "Why are you so interested anyway? Are you that bored?" Rafe grinned as she clenched her fists in anger. He walked past her to sit on a large rock on the side of road. She stayed put, not knowing what he was up to. He turned to look at her and she could see his one golden eye shining brightly in the moonlight. (a/n: He's got two different eye colors, remember?)

"Because you're utterly fascinating. You show up here, kick my ass and go on playing peacemaker between the loup-garou and humans."

"I'm not playing peacemaker, I simply don't like you hunting humans for stupid reasons. When are you going to learn that there are decent people out there. You can't judge a whole species by the antics of a only few of them."

He spoke up angrily, "Tell that to the rest of my kind. Almost everyone in my pack has been terrorized by humans, not to mention what my happened to our ancestors."

Sera laughed, "Hey, my ancestors were terrorized too. Ever heard of the Salem witch trials?" She sat down next to him. "Humans are afraid of magical creatures because they don't know what to expect from us. They fear what they can't explain, Rafe," she felt him shift closer to her and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Who knows, maybe one day we'll all get along."

Rafe smiled next to her. "No use trying to argue with you, huh?"

She smirked, "Yes, I make more logical points and," she turned her head to him, "I always win."

He scooted further towards her and said in her ear, "There are certain things you can't win, especially against me," he curled his fingers and ran them down her covered arm. "I'm stronger than you give me credit for."

"Physical strength isn't everything," she said nervously, not looking at Rafe. "There are other kinds of strength a person can have, and they're just as important and valuable. Besides, I have magic to help me."

Rafe lips were touching her ear now, and Sera could feel him smiling. "Can magic help you overcome your fear of me?" She didn't reply. "I know you are, Sera. I can smell that you're nervous."

She crossed her arms and turned her head away from him. Her response was whispered, "No, I have to learn that by myself."

Rafe was surprised when she leaned into him and laid her head on his shoulder. "What are you doing?" he asked curiously.

"I'm cold," she said. "Make yourself useful and keep me warm."

He chuckled, "Well since you asked so nicely," he wrapped an arm around her and took one of her hands in his. He laid his head on hers and closed his eyes. The smell of her hair was comforting to him. "Vanilla?"

The corners of her mouth turned up in a grin and she closed her eyes. "Nice of you to notice," she said sleepily.

"I like it," he said inhaling deeply. He waited for her to say something else, but all he heard was her breathing. "Sera?" he asked.

"Mmm?"

He took a beat before saying, "My father and mother want to meet you. Will you come with me tomorrow to see them?"

"As long as they don't try to kill me for interfering with you and Vivian."

Rafe chuckled, "No, they simply want to thank you personally for saving their only child's life."

"Fine," Sera yawned. "Can you take me back to my cabin please? I'm too tired to walk back."

He stood up and bent down and picked her up. She adjusted herself in his arms as he carried her. He couldn't help but grin as she snuggled into his chest, shielding herself from the cold. The lights from the living room were seen as he climbed over the last hill. He walked up the front steps and stopped in front of the door. "We're here."

Sera slid from his arms and stood up. "Thank you. What time are you going to pick me up?"

He raised a brow, "You trust me enough to come without your truck?"

Sera looked annoyed, "I'm giving you a chance to prove you're trustworthy, Rafe. I can always apparate to escape if something is not to my liking."

He nodded and watched her unlock the front door. She turned around after opening the door, and he could see the room bathed in the light from the fire. "Thanks again." He stepped closer and placed a quick chaste kiss on her mouth. She blinked slowly as he pulled back to see her reaction. "I don't like being played around with Rafe," she whispered.

Rafe reached up and brushed a loose strand of her hair out of her face. He brought up both of his hands to cup her face before he spoke, "I'm not playing, little one." His eyes were soft and intense as she looked into them. She clutched his arms and leaned forward, kissing him lightly on the lips. He let go of her face and wrapped his arms around her waist. He broke the kiss and pulled her jacket's collar back to expose her neck.

He rained feather light kisses down her neck and to her shoulder where he began to lick. Sera shivered at the feeling of his warm, wet tongue as he traced circles on her back with his finger tips. Her eyes shot open when he bit down, hard. "Rafe," she gasped and grabbed his shoulders. He growled low in response, but it wasn't a threatening sound. Sera trembled as he started to lick the bite, in apology.

"I'm sorry," he said after kissing the bite. Rafe pulled away from her and grinned, "You didn't try to push me away. That's good."

She rubbed her neck gingerly and sighed, "Yeah, I'm surprised I didn't." She grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Goodnight Rafe."

He squeezed back and said, "Sleep well." With that, he turned and walked down the steps. Sera watched as he broke into a run and leaped into the air. A bright light surrounded him as he fell back to the ground, as a wolf. She smiled when he stopped at the edge of the trees and turned around to look back at her. He made a low chuffing noise before sprinting off into woods.

Sera shook her head good naturedly as she walked into the warm, inviting cabin.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed that Logue. Now you have something to daydream about. laughs I worked really hard on this chapter and hopefully it shows. The last few chapters were following the storyline of the B&C movie, but now it's all me. Can I start sweating now? Review so I can become inspired!


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **I own the plot and the oc characters. Nothing else.

**a/n: **Whoohoo! I've gotten over my block and am back in the game. Thank you to all who helped me. I hope you'll like this chappy, even though it might be a little bit ooc. The new title is the name of a song off the B&C soundtrack, which is flippin awesome. You can listen to it on the B&C soundtrack page on MySpace.

* * *

**Chapter 9: **Meet the Parents

Sera sighed as the hot water washed over. She rubbed her sore shoulder, which was covered in dark blue splotches, thanks to Rafe. A small smile formed on her lips as she recalled last night. Her stomach fluttered at the thought of his warm, wet kisses. She turned off the shower and stepped out, grabbing a couple of towels along the way to the vanity mirror above the sink. She dried and brushed through her tangled hair, before putting on a robe and heading to her closet.

_Now, what should I wear tonight? _It was only twenty after four but she wanted to get a head start. Sera looked through the rack of clothes, trying to pick out something that would fit the occasion. The black dress she wore to the club was a tad skimpy. She had a green silk evening gown, but that was far too dressy. The best choice was a thin, violet colored V-neck sweater, and a pair of black dress pants. Her short heeled boots would give her a little more height and the silver and sapphire necklace would finish it off.

She brushed her hair back and braided it, but then she realised something. The love bites were showing. _That's a good way to look when you're meeting his parents. "Nice to meet you Gabriel. Sorry about the bruises, your son got a little frisky last night." _Sera cast a concealing charm on her neck. Aiden was in the kitchen making Ramen soup when she came down an hour later.

"Where are you going looking so nice?" he asked while stirring the soup.

"I'm going to see Vivian."

He stopped stirring and set the large wooden spoon on the counter next to the stove. "What? Did she call you?"

"Not exactly, Rafe has been keeping us in touch. I'm going to have dinner with them."

Aiden visibly cringed, "When did you see him?"

"Last night," she sat on one of the stools at the counter.

"He's not coming here again, is he?"

"Yeah, because I'm going to let him drive me to Vivian's," Sera propped her elbows up on the counter.

"You're gonna do what?"

She gave him a 'look' before rolling her eyes. "Aiden I'm going to be fine, I don't need nor want your worry."

He yelled, "You can't trust him Sera!"

"I know I can't completely trust him, but I have to give him a chance." she sighed heavily in annoyance and played with her necklace. "I'll talk to Vivian for you- see if I can get her to come over here to see you."

Aiden's face softened at the mention of his beau. "Do you think she'll even want to see me after what happened with Rafe?"

Sera laughed, "Aiden you were defending yourself, she couldn't be mad at you for that."

He shrugged, "If you say so."

A honk outside broke the comfortable silence that had settled over the kitchen. Sera removed her elbows from the counter top and walked over to the coat rack to get her black windbreaker. "I'll see you later." She moved to open the front door but stopped to look over her shoulder at the stove. "Aiden, the soup is about to boil over." He looked confused for a moment before remembering that he left his food cooking.

"Oops!" he ran over and turned off the stove and proceeded to blow on the soup, hoping it would go back into the pot.

Sera shook her head and flicked her wand at the pot, making the liquid sink down. "Try not to burn down my cabin while I'm away, alright?"

Aiden smiled sheepishly and said, "Okay, have a good time."

She opened the door and walked out, locking the door behind her. Rafe was waiting by the front passengers door. "Your chariot awaits, my lady." he said after running a hand through his thick, dark brown hair. He opened the door and bowed as she got in. "Why, thank you Rafe." she said before he shut the door. He walked around and got into the driver's seat. "How about some music to calm your nerves?" he asked and reached for the radio.

"I'm not nervous," she said coolly, buckling her seat belt. Rafe tuned into a local alternative station, and the almost tribal beat poured from the speakers. "Now Sera, you should know by now that I can smell your emotions. You don't have anything to worry about, my parents aren't that bad." She sighed, "Gee that makes me feel _loads _better."

Rafe halted the vehicle outside the chocolate shop. "Are we here to pick up Vivian?" Sera asked, confused. Rafe turned the vehicle off and unbuckled his seat belt. "No, we live above the shop in an apartment," he said before opening the door and stepping out. She too unbuckled and got out, slowly shutting the door behind her. He started walking towards the stairwell that was on the side of the building, but she stayed put. Rafe turned around to say something to her, and realized that she wasn't behind him. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head and walked over to him, "Nothing." He grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers. She felt a warm tingle go up her arm. "Don't be afraid Sera. I'll be right there with you," he said with a reassuring smile. Sera let him lead her up the wooden, paint-chipped stairs. They reached the top where a beautiful woman stood. She had short and wavy blond hair with sparkling blue eyes. Sera let go of Rafe's hand, which made him look over at her strangely. "There's my wonderful son. You're early, Gabriel isn't here yet," said the woman.

_So this is Astrid? _She was expecting someone cold and bitter. Rafe opened his arms wide and walked over to his mother, giving her a hug. "Momma," he said softly in greeting and turned to Sera. "This is Sera."

Sera bit the inside of her mouth as Astrid looked at her. She managed a small nervous smile before advancing forward with her hand out, "And you must be Astrid." Astrid returned the smile and shook her hand. "Ah yes, the stunning young woman who saved my son's life," she stood back as if to admire her. Sera laughed, "Well, you got the last two parts right." She looked over at Rafe, who had an amused grin on his face.

"Sera?" a voice asked. Sera saw Vivian standing in the hallway, and went over to her. They hugged each other and pulled back, "How have you been, Viv?" Sera asked her friend. Vivian nodded, "Good," she leaned in closer and whispered, "Is Aiden alright?"

Sera nodded, "Yeah, he's fine. He's at the cabin." Vivian sighed with relief. Astrid cleared her throat, "Vivian, can you come help me with dinner and put the place mats on the table?" Vivian replied, "Yes aunt Astrid," and walked into the kitchen. Astrid clapped her hands together, "Well, I'll leave you two to relax. Gabriel should be here any minuet." With that said, she headed off into the kitchen. Sera rolled her weight back onto her heels and waited for Rafe to say or do something.

He sat down on plush armchair and patted the armrest. She came over to him and half leaned, half sat on the arm. "Your mom seems nice," she said in an attempt to make conversation. Rafe grinned, "You should see her when she's angry. It's not a very pretty site." Before Sera could blink, he had wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. "Rafe!" she hissed, "What are you doing? Your mother and Vivian are in the next room, and your father is could walk right in!"

Rafe chuckled low and it sent shivers up her spine, "And your point being?" Sera tried to wiggle out of his grip, but he was stronger. "It's going to look bad if I'm sitting in your lap. That's not the way I want to give a first impression," she growled out. His grip loosened but he didn't release completely, "No it won't. Besides, it will let anyone who comes in with my father know that you are off limits." She gaped at him and turned her head away with an irritated sniff.

_What has gotten into him? _She adjusted herself on his lap, purposely pushing her weight onto his groin. He inhaled sharply and moved uneasily beneath her. Sera smirked, _That's what you get for making me feel uncomfortable. _She was enjoying making him squirm. The sounds of pots and pans hitting one another came from the kitchen. Rafe eventually let her go and she sat on the couch, smirking. He raised a brow before standing up and walking over to the stairs.

Sera tilted her head to the side curiously. Suddenly, a man dressed in all black ascended the stairs and greeted Rafe with a hand on his shoulder. "Rafe, good evening," he said in a gruff, accented voice. "Good evening Gabriel. Business going well?" Gabriel nodded, "As well as it can be." He turned his head to gaze at her. Sera felt uneasy as his dark brown eyes penetrated her. She didn't break eye contact until he started walking towards her.

She stood up and held her head high. Sera had payed attention to the high class purebloods in the wizarding world, and decided to mimic them. Gabriel made his way over to her and said, "So, this is her." Rafe came up from behind him and walked to her side, "Mm-hm." Gabriel looked her over and she stiffened. "What's your name girl?"

"Serafina Tracey," she said nonchalantly. "And your Gabriel, I'm guessing," she uncrossed one arm and presented her hand to him. He looked at her cautiously before taking her hand in his firm grip. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you," she lied through her teeth. From what Vivian had said about him, Sera could pretty much understand his personality, and she didn't like it. _I wonder if he can tell that I'm lying. _If he had, he didn't show it. Instead, he gave a light, closed-mouth smile, "As am I."

"Gabriel, your here." Astrid said from the doorway to the kitchen. She had a bright smile on her face and reminded Sera greatly of the silly school girls that chased Viktor Krum throughout her fourth year. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the older woman's foolish antics. _Oh honey, you could do SO much better. _Vivian appeared behind her and said, "Dinner's ready."

* * *

As they ate, Astrid asked Sera many questions. "How old are you Sera?"

"I'm almost nineteen. My birthday is in December."

"Well that's good. Rafey is about to turn twenty."

Rafe choked on his food and Sera hit him on the back, "Mother!"

"So where did you go to school?"

"I attended a magic school in the north-western part of Europe. I'm not really sure of it's exact location, though. I spent seven years there."

"Where are your parents?"

"My mom is back in Kentucky, and my father's dead," she said bluntly.

Astrid must have noticed the bitterness in her voice, "I'm sorry."

Sera shrugged, "He was always traveling back and forth- I never really got to know him."

There was a long silence before Gabriel spoke up, "How did you save Rafe?"

"I used magic to remove the silver from his bloodstream, then I healed the wound. It was a truly wild card procedure."

Vivian, who had been quiet throughout the meal, said, "Sounds complicated."

"It's not something I've read in one of my spell books, that's for sure. I had to trust my instincts and do what I felt would work."

Astrid smiled widely, "Well, I'm glad you went out on a limb for my son. We're all very grateful for what you've done, especially Rafe."

Sera flushed pink, _More grateful than you know. _She glanced at Rafe out of the corner of her eye. He winked at her and inside she cringed, _I wish he wouldn't do that- at least not here, with them. _Gabriel watched the exchange silently from the opposite side of the table.

Everyone finished and put their plates in the sink. Rafe brought Sera to the edge of the stairs. "I'm going to take her home and I'll be back later." Astrid hugged her son and then turned to Sera. "Thank you," she said and hugged Sera. Sera hugged her back awkwardly and said, "Your welcome." Astrid pulled back, "We're going to have to spend some time together. Perhaps you, Vivian and I could have a girl's night out?"

Sera smiled, "I'd like that." Vivian hugged her and said in her ear, "Tell Aiden that I'll meet him at the church on Saturday at noon." Sera nodded and looked over at Gabriel, who was sitting on the couch. "Nice meeting you." He raised his brows and said, "I hope you will join us for lunch sometime soon. The rest of the Five would like to meet you."

"Okay, let me know when so I have a chance to clean up my cabin. We can host the lunch there." Rafe gave a tug on her sleeve and she said, "Alright, let's go. Have a good night everyone." She followed Rafe to the SUV and got in. "That went smoother than I had anticipated," she said while getting on her seat belt. Rafe turned on the vehicle and pulled off the side of the road, "See? It wasn't so bad. Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Mm-hm," she murmured sleepily. "Your father is a tad strange though." Rafe chuckled at her comment, "He doesn't take to strangers very well. After everything that's happened, you can't blame him." The eerie, orange street lights swept over them. The corners of her mouth turned up, "So you believe in what he's doing?"

Rafe shook his head, "Not everything, especially the new mate tradition."

Sera was confused, "What's that?"

"He's going to start taking on a new mate every seven years."

"So that means he's going to leave your mother?"

Rafe's laugh was bitter, "He hasn't literally been with my mother since before I was born."

She could tell he was trying to make a joke out of it, but he was truly hurt. "Oh." He was silent. "So you don't believe in that sort of thing?"

"No, we should take life mates, like we're supposed to," they pulled into the driveway and he shut off the vehicle. He unbuckled and got out, walking around to her side to open her door. She stepped out and shut the door. Rafe smiled and traced her jawline with his index finger, "That's what I want," he whispered. Sera trembled and flushed a bright red, before turning her head away from him, embarrassed.

"Don't turn away, Sera. You're beautiful when you blush," he said and pulled her face back to him. "In fact, you haven't blushed around me until tonight." This made her blush harder, so she covered her face with her hands. He pried her hands apart and smirked, "Your going to melt if you get any redder." Sera glared at him, "Well, you aren't making it any easier on me."

He moved closer and kissed her on the cheek. "I can't help it. You're just so damn cute." This made her laugh and she kissed his lips before pushing him away playfully. "I'll talk to you tomorrow Rafe. Go home and get some sleep." He nodded and said, "Sleep tight."

Sera watched him drive off down the dirt road. Aiden opened the front door and yelled, "Hey, what did Vivian say?" She jogged up the steps and gave him a pat on the shoulder while passing by. "You've got your girl back." He smiled and went inside with her, anxious to hear what happened.

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Phew! It's almost four in the morning and I am sooooo tired. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **Serafina and the plot belong to me. Everything else is copyrighted to the authors.

**a/n: **Sorry 'bout the wait. As always, thank you reviewers! I'm thinking of starting a Hermione/Tom story, or perhaps a HP and Covenant crossover. What do you think?

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**Chapter 10: **Plans for Shopping

Ginny had sent Sera a letter, telling her when to activate the necklace portkey. She was going to meet Ginny, Hermione and Fleur at the coffee shop in Diagon Alley, on Saturday, at noon. That left her two days to decide who to bring with her. Sera was still contemplating whether or not to ask Rafe. He didn't seem like the kind of guy who likes to go with girls and look for dresses. Sera grinned, _I would love to see the look on his face when he sees me all dolled-up._

Well, Astrid and Vivian were obviously the better choice, as far as fashion advice goes. She grabbed the phone off the hook and went out onto the balcony. After dialing a number, she sat down in one of the wooden rocking chairs. The sun shining brightly and was warm on her skin. The phone rang twice before someone picked up, "Hello?"

Sera paused nervously, "Blake?"

"Yeah, hey. What's going on? You haven't talked to me in like, a week."

"Oh, um...I've got something to tell you."

"Yes?"

She sighed before rubbing the bridge of her nose, "Blake, I don't think we should see each other romantically anymore," there was silence on the end of the line. "Now I know you're probably mad, but I want you to know that it's not your fault. I've had a lot going on the last couple of weeks and I've thought things through."

Blake exhaled loudly, "I thought you liked me Sera."

"I do Blake, it's just difficult dating someone whom I only have brotherly feelings for. You've been really sweet to me ever since I arrived here, and I hope we can still be friends."

"If that's what you want Sera, I won't stand in the way," his voice cracked. "Did you meet someone?"

Sera felt horrible doing this, but it had to be done. Avoiding her problems was getting her nowhere, "Mm-hm."

"Was it the guy from the club?"

"Why would you think that?"

"I saw the way he was looking at you."

She bit her bottom lip, _Were we that transparent? _"I'm sorry Blake."

He sighed and whispered, "It's okay. I'll talk to you later then?"

"Sure, bye."

Blake said goodbye and hung up. Sera felt absolutely rotten. She dialed Rafe's number and waited for him to pick up. "Hello sweetness," he said after picking up.

She resisted the urge to giggle, "How'd you know it was me?"

"We just installed caller ID."

She flushed, "Oh, right. Is your mother there?

"Yes, but don't you want to talk to me?" he pouted.

"Of course I do, but I need to ask Astrid something real quick."

"Fine," he huffed and gave the phone to Astrid.

"Sera?" she asked.

"Hi Astrid."

"Good afternoon."

"Um, I have a question."

"Yes?"

"Would you and Vivian like to go shopping with me? I'm going to a wedding next week and I need to get a dress, not to mention help the bride find one too."

"We'd be delighted! Were are we going?"

"We're going to shop in a place called Diagon Alley. Don't worry about how we'll get there; I've got a special way of traveling across great distances."

Astrid laughed, "Great distances? Where is this place located?"

"A little place I like to call England." _Wait for it..._

A gasp was heard, "England?" she asked in astonishment.

"Yep, I've got all the tools to get there, magic wise."

"I'm not sure about this Sera, it sounds dangerous."

"It'll be fine, Astrid. You can have Rafe can drive you and Vivian up to my cabin on Saturday, before noon. It's warm down there, so wear light, comfortable clothes and shoes."

Astrid wasn't all that convinced, but she trusted that Sera knew what she was doing. "Alright, Rafe's asking for you. See you on Saturday.

"Will do."

* * *

Sera was currently finishing off her late breakfast, which consisted of pancakes, toast and bacon. She had cooked everything from scratch and was proud to say that she had only managed to burn the bacon. Aiden had gathered the courage that morning to pack up his belongings and go back to his apartment. On one hand she was relieved to have him out of the cabin, but on the other she was worried about him. Hopefully Vivian would be able to coax him out into the open again.

As she took a sip from her orange juice, the doorbell rang. She wiped her mouth with a napkin before getting off the chair and jogging over to the door. She peeked out of the little hole to see who it was. It was Vivian with her aunt and cousin behind her. She opened the door, "You're awfully early."

Vivian smiled, "Talk to the person who drove us," she put her hands up. "His fault, not mine." Sera gave Rafe a pointed look, and he smirked before brushing past Vivian. He leaned into Sera and gave her a very wet kiss. A smacking noise was heard when he pulled back. She flushed and her eyes darted to Vivian and Astrid, who had amused grins on their faces.

"It's a tad late to act modest, Sera, they already know," Rafe said and patted her on the rear. She pursed her lips and walked stiffly back over to the dining table and picked up her plate. Vivian and Astrid took off their coats and hung them up before taking a seat on the couches. Rafe walked slowly around the room, admiring the high ceiling and fans. Sera cleaned off her plate and put it into the sink. "Have you already eaten?" she called over to them.

"Yes, we ate a few hours ago," Astrid said while getting comfortable. "If you don't mind me asking, how exactly are we getting to this Diagon Alley?" Sera came over and sat in the large armchair. "I'm going to use this," she said and reached down her shirt to pull out the necklace. "It's called a portkey. Witches and wizards use them to get to cross-country events."

Vivian took on a confused expression and Sera continued, "Now, since you all are here early, I'm going to reset the departure time," she picked up her wand from the side table and glanced at her watch. "It's almost eleven thirty, so I'll set it for eleven thirty-five." She tapped the necklace and said a spell, which in turn made it glow. She got up and went over to where the coats were and pulled out her own cloak, along with two others.

"Here, put these on," she handed one to Vivian and Astrid. "They're just a precaution, there isn't any danger. They'll help you blend in more." Astrid slipped on her cloak and Vivian did the same. Rafe laid his chin on her shoulder and asked, "What are they used for where you're from?"

"Nothing, they're just what everyone wears. Walking around in normal clothes will draw attention from wizards and witches, good and bad. I've had problems with the bad ones before, and I know what they are capable of. I'd like to spare you two from any malicious intent." Vivian looked a tad uneasy, so Sera decided to calm her fears, "Don't be scared," she smiled, "I'm not saying they're all evil, you just have to be careful. Besides, my friends will be with us."

She turned to Rafe, who lifted his head off her shoulder. She gave him a peck on the cheek before saying, "I'll try to have them back in a few hours." He nodded and went over to his mother. She gave him a hug and he said, "Have a good time." Astrid pulled back and smiled, "Try not to get into too much trouble while we're gone?" Rafe rolled his eyes and headed over to the door. "Bye," he said before opening it up and walking out.

Sera watched the door shut behind him and turned to Astrid and Vivian. "Ready to go?" They nodded and she gathered them around her. She unclasped the necklace and wrapped the long, silver chain around all of them. She then clasped it back together and said, "You might feel a pull in your naval, but don't be alarmed, it's natural." The necklace glowed and began pulsing. The floor beneath them crackled and opened up into a shimmering portal.

The loup-garous' eyes widened and Sera laughed loudly as they were sucked into the blinding light.

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Kinda short, but still good. I love leaving readers hanging off a cliffie... 


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **I own the original characters and the plot.

**a/n: **I had alot of fun with this chapter, and I sure hope it shows. I'm going to have something special for you all at my profile, so make sure you visit it.

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**Chapter 11: **Behind the Glass

The light opened up into a street, where Sera hit the ground in a crouching position. Astrid and Vivian landed on their backs and had the breath knocked out of their bodies. Vivian got up and rubbed her back with a horrified expression on her face. Astrid stood up and blinked a few times while trying to steady herself by holding onto Sera. Sera smirked and steadied Astrid, "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Vivian raised a brow, "Depends on what you consider bad," she looked up at the sky. "Did we fall from way up there?" Sera shrugged, "I'm not entirely sure how portkeys work. All I know, is that it takes advanced magic to create one. That's why our government provides them instead of making us create our own." Sera moved toward the pub's door and pulled it open to let the women through. The pub owner, Tom, was talking to a gentleman at the bar, when they walked in.

Sera herded Vivian and Astrid in between the tables to get to the backdoor. "Hey Sera, where've ya been?" Tom said as they passed by him. Sera smiled at him as she reached the door, "I've been on vacation. So, anything new going on?" He shook his head and set a mug on the bar, "Not much. Everyone's looking forward to Potter and Weasley's wedding," he started to use a rag to wipe the wooden surface. "Oh," he stopped and furrowed his brows, "that Malfoy boy has been looking for you. Come around here a few times, asking if I've seen ya."

Her eyes widened, "Why? Has something happened?" Tom shrugged, "Who knows? I think he's a bit of a prick myself, but hey, with a father like that, who wouldn't be?" Sera nodded and said, "Okay, well if he comes around again, tell him I'll be at the wedding. Thanks Tom, it was nice seeing you again."

She brought them outside where the brick wall was standing. "Um, have I missed something?" Vivian said and put her hand on the wall. Sera took out her wand and tapped a few bricks. Vivian pulled back her hand and watched in amazement as the bricks began shuffling around and formed an arch doorway. Sera pocketed her wand and gestured with her hand, "Go ahead." Astrid walked cautiously through the archway, Vivian right behind her.

Sera walked through and made sure the wall reconstructed itself. Astrid and Vivian's mouths were open and were turning circles, taking in their strange surroundings. "Neat, huh?" Sera said before grabbing one of their arms and pulling them with her, and into the crowd. For the first ten minutes, Sera was dragged over to different shops and sales carts to look at the strange objects. Questions like, "What's that?" and "How does that-?" were asked constantly asked. "Ladies, there will be time to explore, but right now, we need to get to the coffee shop," Sera said and watched as people gave them strange looks.

Astrid pouted but followed Vivian and Sera. When they finally made it to the coffee shop, Sera spotted her friends sitting outside on the patio, at a large table. Ginny saw her first and stood up and waved, "Over here Sera!"

She smiled brightly and jogged over to Ginny. "I'm so happy to see you," she said after giving her a hug. "Me too," Ginny said before stepping aside so Sera could greet Hermione and Fleur. "Zera, we simply must get you out of zese clothes!" Fleur gasped as she took in Sera's appearance. Hermione rolled her eyes behind Fleur, "She looks fine, well rested even." Sera glanced at Ginny, who gave her a sympathetic look. "Well Sera, aren't you going to introduce your companions?"

Sera turned to Vivian and Astrid. "This is Astrid," she gestured to the older woman. "And this is Vivian," she gestured to her friend. Ginny smiled, "Oh, nice to meet you. Sera has told us so much about you." Astrid nodded and Vivian said, "Nice to meet you too." Ginny gathered up her things from the table and asked, "Shall we go?"

* * *

Ginny had been to over five bridal shops and had not found her perfect dress. The women sat in chairs outside a dressing room waiting for her to model the latest dress. She poked her head around the curtain and walked out. Sera felt bad for Ginny, the dress was dreadful. It was like an old fashioned, Victorian gown, but it had large, puffed shoulders and layers of lace on the bodice. It came with a built-in corset, but she didn't understand why it was needed in the first place. It didn't have a much of a shape to begin with. 

"Absolutely beautiful," said the elderly saleswoman who was standing off to the side. Vivian wrinkled her nose. Ginny looked at herself in the three way mirror, "A tad big though," she said and pulled at the neck of the dress. "It's so...," she tried to find the right words. "Mature?" Sera suggested.

"Yes, far too mature for me. Do you have anything more youthful?" Ginny started undoing the ties in the back. The woman tapped her nose in thought, "I think I might have something you'll like. I'll be right back." They watched her walk briskly around the corner and Hermione shook her head. "That has to be one of the ugliest dresses I have ever seen."

Sera stood up and went over to Ginny to help her untie the tight corset. Ginny sighed as the corset loosened and the red in her face lessened as the blood started to flow normally. "I know. If this next one doesn't work then we'll take a brake and let you guys shop for a while." Sera let her go back into the dressing room before turning around and putting her hands on her hips.

The woman came back with a velvet zip-up bag which, Sera guessed, held the dress. The woman went over to the dressing room and said, "Just one more, dear. Here it is." Ginny reached around the curtain and took the bag, "Thank you." Everyone waited while Ginny tried it on. "I think this one's a keeper," she said excitedly and came twirling out of the room. "Wow!" Sera said and stood back to admire her.

The dress was white and strapless and looked like it was satin. There were two long slits on the side that showed the dark red material underneath, and there was red embroidering on the top. Rubies and garnets were sewn into the bodies and a wide, white silk ribbon was tied around the waist. Ginny was beaming, "Do you really like it?"

"Zat suits you very well Ginny. Red is your favourite color, no?" Fleur asked while inspecting the dress. Ginny stuck her nose into the air and said, "Of course, I'm a Gryffindor aren't I?" Hermione laughed and said, "Yes, yes you are." Sera grinned, "And now she's about to become a Potter. All hail the reining queen of Gryffindor." Ginny blushed and giggled.

"Are you ready to check out, miss?" the woman asked after going into the room to get the bag. "Yes, I think I'm ready. You all should start trying things on while I buy this," Ginny said. "Okay," Hermione got up from her seat and stretched. Vivian and Astrid came over to Sera. "Now we get to dress you up," Astrid said and pulled her off into one of the isles of dresses.

Astrid picked out three for her to try on and made her model them for her. The first was a yellow sundress with spaghetti straps. It was a little too casual for a wedding, but still cute. The second one was a strapless, forest green dress that reached her knees and had a brown, suede leather belt around the waist. Sera thought that would draw far too much attention to herself, to which Astrid replied, "Oh don't be bashful. Try on the next one."

She loved the last one. It was a powder blue dress that had straps that tied around the back of her neck. It showed off her back, was tight around her stomach, and the skirt fanned out when she spun, before coming down to her feet when she stopped. "I love it," she said and twirled around some more. "That is definitely your color. Just look at how it moves when you walk!" Astrid clapped her hands together. "Yes, I did a good job."

"Mm-hm," Sera agreed. "Now all I need to do is get a pair of light blue heels, and I'll be good to go."

* * *

The sun was starting to set in the sky as the group of women walked down the street. "I need to pick up a few things before I go home. I'll see you all in a few days," Hermione said before disappearing into a bookstore. Ginny laughed, "Of course." Fleur took Ginny by the arm gave it a tug. "Ginny, your mozer will be waiting for us." 

Ginny nodded and turned to Sera. "Thank you for coming. I really appreciate it," she said and gave her a big hug. "Oh, your welcome. I'm glad you found your perfect dress," Sera said after pulling back. "Only one more week," she winked. "Enjoy being a free woman until then."

Ginny gave a thoughtful look, "I think I will." Sera smirked, "You should get a male stripper for your bachelorette party." Fleur's hand flew to her mouth and she gasped, while Ginny gave an unladylike snort. "Oh yeah, like my mother would go for that." Sera grinned, "Well, I'll see you at your wedding, then. Bye."

"It was nice to meeting you guys," Ginny said before she and Fleur apparated away with a loud pop. Sera sighed and turned to Astrid and Vivian, "Are we ready to go home?"

* * *

Rafe was waiting for them by his truck when they got back. The portkey dropped them off on the lawn, which Sera was grateful for. Rafe strutted towards them as they stood up. "Well, it's about time. I thought you had decided to spend the night down there," he said and kissed Sera on the cheek. "Did you have fun?"

"Oh yes, we did," Astrid said while smiling. "There were so many amazing things to look at and do. I hope we get to go back soon," she said and gave Sera a hopeful look. Sera chuckled, "Sure, we can go back after the wedding." Astrid all but squealed as she came over and gave Sera a hug. "Thank you for taking us, it really meant a lot." That said, she walked over to the passenger side of the truck, and got in.

Vivian gave her arm a friendly pat, "Thanks for inviting me. See you later." Vivian too walked over to the truck and got in, leaving Rafe and Sera alone in the fading light. "So do you have something formal to wear?" she asked.

He smirked, "Why would I need something formal?"

"Because, my friends are getting married next week, and you are going to accompany me as my date."

"Am I?"

"Yes, so I suggest you wear something nice."

"As long as you wear something pretty, for me."

Sera gestured to the velvet bag draped over her arm.

"Is that it?" he asked and tried to grab the bag. She put it behind her back.

"Uh, uh, uh," she said playfully as she hid the dress from him. "Not until the wedding."

"You're no fun," he pouted and crossed his arms. He bent forward to kiss her, but she jerked her head to the side. He looked hurt when she did this. "I'm not comfortable doing this in front of your mother, or Vivian. I mean, if Gabriel saw us together he'd-" Rafe cut her off and growled out, "My _father_, will not control me. He can't tell me where to go, or who I'm not allowed to see." Both shades of his eyes turned dark with anger.

"And," his voice softened considerably as he raised a hand to stroke her cheek, "he will _not _tell me who I can court." Sera's eyes widened and she tried to back away, but Rafe caught her arm in a firm, but gentle grip. He pulled her to him and rested his forehead on hers. She shivered as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I know you're scared Sera, and I know you have doubts, but you have to trust me. I will never let anyone or anything hurt you. I'd die before letting that happen," he ran a hand down her back and kissed the side of her jaw. "I don't understand," she said while holding onto his sides. "I'm human, how could you even think of my like that?" He nuzzled her neck and said, "None of that matters now," he brought his head up to look at her.

"You wanna know something? When you left this morning, I couldn't concentrate on what I was doing. I almost drove off the side of the road because I was thinking about you and not about the cars in front of me," he said and let go of her. He looked at the ground and continued, "I know it's stupid, because I knew that you would only be gone for a little while. But I began to think to myself, 'What if she never came back?'

Sera stepped closer to him and reached under to pull his head gently up to her level. Rafe's expression was sad. "When I thought of that," he took a breath, "I couldn't _breathe_, Sera. I had to practically convince myself that you'd come back."

He turned his head to look off into the distance. "The pack is in shambles, my mother is off in fairy land because she can't face the fact that Gabriel left her, and I am alone. I have the Five, but all they care about is going out to clubs and picking up girls. Everyone is frigid," he looked back at her. "But your not. If you left, I would have no one that understands or cares about me."

Tears gathered in Sera's eyes and she quickly wrapped her arms around him and hugged his mid-section. She buried her head into his chest and cried. _I wish he hadn't been hurt this badly. He doesn't deserve to be unhappy. _Rafe ran a hand through her hair and held her close to him. "Sera, it's impossible for me to do anything but love you."

Sera stopped crying and raised her head to look at him. He smiled lovingly down at her. Her cheeks were tear stained and pink and her eyes were red and puffy. Even still, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. And she was crying for him. Rafe captured her lips in a sweet kiss and leaned her head back. Sera didn't fight him this time, but instead let her head fall back into his cradling hand. A tear fell from the corner of her shut eyes.

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I have a major headache and feel really weak as I type this. And it isn't because I'm emotionally drained. The chapter's ending is three-fourths corny, and one-fourth emotional. I'm not that good. I think I have a cold, but I'll have to wait until morning to see. Now, off to bed I go... 


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **I own the original characters and the plot.

a/n: Yay new chapter! I also have the new graphics up, be sure to visit my profile for details. As always, thank you reviewers! The wedding is finally here and Sera is going to introduce Rafe to the wizarding world. How will he take it? Read to find out.

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**Chapter 12: **The Wedding

Rafe sat on the couch in Sera's living room anxiously waiting for Sera to come down. His legs were crossed and he was bouncing one nervously. Even though he wasn't used to going to formal events, he decided to dress in his best, for Sera. His hair was even brushed out and was in vibrant waves. This of course had earned a snort from Vivian who watched as he left the apartment. Astrid had an odd twinkle in her eye as she looked over her son. "You look so handsome, just like your father..."

He grimaced as he remembered his mother's words. The sound of heels coming down the stairs brought him out of this train of thought. He turned to see Sera descending the stairs looking absolutely stunning. His eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly as he took in her form.

Sera smiled modestly and blushed as she watched Rafe stand up and come over to her. She was wearing the dress and shoes purchased on her shopping trip. Her hair was pulled back into a simple bun with a long strand hanging on either side of her face. Sera had only applied a small amount of makeup to her face, but it did its job and enhanced her most striking features. Peach colored lips stood out against her fair skin and green eyes glittered with excitement.

"Wow. You look beautiful Sera," Rafe smiled brightly and held out his arm. Sera accepted his offered arm and pulled him over to the middle of the room. "You don't look so bad yourself," she said slyly, while pulling her necklace's chain around their necks. "Here we go. Hold on," she said as the necklace began to glow. "Gladly," he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. The light enveloped them and the familiar pull in her naval told her that the portkey had transported them successfully.

They both landed gracefully on their feet. Sera noticed that they had landed in the Weasley's front yard, so she pulled away from Rafe and grabbed his hand. "Come on, everyone should be out back." They made their way around the old, quirky looking house. Garden gnomes scurried out from under the shrubs and ran past them. Rafe jumped slightly and turned to watch the strange creatures run into the high grass. "What was that?" he asked in wonder.

"A garden gnome. They're always a tad frisky this time of year," she grinned and tugged his arm. The backyard was full of guests when they arrived. Rows of white chairs were set up in front of a white gazebo and a red carpet was rolled out in the isle between the chairs. Mrs. Weasley was standing near a refreshment table wearing regal, plum dress robes. She spotted Sera and quickly waved them over. "Sera, it's so good to see you deary!" she looked at Rafe and asked politely, "And who is this gentleman you have with you?"

Sera was about to answer when Rafe cut her off, "My name is Rafe. I've been showing Sera all over Bucharest."

Mrs. Weasley grinned and looked at Sera, "Ah, yes. Is he the one you were talking about in your letters to Ginny?"

"Uh...yes. Yes he is," Sera said slightly embarrassed.

"Mm-hm, well Ronald and Hermione are over with Albus near the front. Fleur is helping Ginny with her dress and such. Why don't you go over and introduce your _friend,_" Mrs. Weasley winked at her before disappearing into the kitchen.

Sera pulled Rafe into the crowd towards Harry, who was speaking to Remus. She could almost feel Rafe smirking behind her, at her embarrassment. "Relax, Sera," he reminded her. She dropped her tense shoulders as they approached Harry. His black hair had been tamed with what appeared to be gel. It was slicked back onto his head, reminding her of Draco's early hairstyle. _Draco._ She wondered if he was even here.

Harry watched her come closer with a goofy grin on his face. "Hello, Sera," he opened his arms wide and gave her a hug. She had to let go of Rafe's hand to do this, and heard his low growl as she hugged Harry. She mentally rolled her eyes. _He's getting married today for Merlin's sake. _She let go of Harry and looked at Remus, who smiled, "It's nice to see you again Sera. If you'll excuse me, Tonks is waiting for me." Sera nodded and watched him walk off. She turned to Harry and said, "You nervous?"

"Oh no, not me. I'm completely calm and ready," he said in a hurry and crossed his arms. Sera raised an eyebrow, "Really? Is that a drop of sweat I see rolling down your forehead?"

Harry wiped his forehead with the sleeve of his robes and smiled sheepishly, "Actually, I am really nervous. What if I forget to say something in my pledge? What if I forget where I put the ring," that said, he searched frantically through his pockets. Sera shook her head and reached into the pocket on his chest. Harry sighed when she pulled out the diamond ring and handed it to him. "Don't underestimate yourself Harry. You'll do fine," Sera said reassuringly.

"Thanks. Who's this?" he asked pointing to Rafe. Sera motioned for him to join her. "This is Rafe, my date." Harry raised an eyebrow at her before sticking his hand out towards Rafe. Rafe waited a moment before accepting the hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Harry."

Harry grinned and said, "Likewise." Mr. Weasley came up to them and said to Harry, "It's time." He then looked at Sera and Rafe, "You both need to find your seats. We're about to begin." Sera nodded and took Rafe by the hand. "Come on." She led him through the crowd to the front of the left row of seats, which was meant for close friends of the bride and groom. Hermione waved at them to get their attention. Sera sat down next to Hermione and Rafe sat on her right.

"Well, don't you look nice," she said. Hermione blushed and said, "I have to be, I'm the maid of honor aren't I? Now, I'm going up to my post," she grinned before standing up and moving over to stand in front of the gazebo. Ron, the best man, was standing next to her. Sera caught his eye and mouthed, "Hey." He mouthed it back and smiled.

Withing a few minutes, everyone was seated and waiting patiently for the wedding to start. Professor Flitwick was seated at a piano in the back and was playing a happy tune. Suddenly the music changed and people turned to look down the isle. Ginny was making her way slowly towards the man of her dreams. She was beaming. Her bright ginger hair was twisted elegantly and pinned to her head, leaving a few wavy pieces hanging down. White gold chandelier earrings hung from her ears.

Harry stood proudly inside the gazebo, with an official from the Department of Marriage next to him. Fleur trailed behind Ginny, throwing flower petals on the carpet. As Ginny passed by Sera, she turned and gave her a quick wink before ascending the wooden steps.

She moved to stand next to Harry, who took both of her hands into his. The official cleared his throat and placed his hands behind his back, "We are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of these two people, Harry Potter and Ginerva Weasley. If any oppose this speak now or forever hold your peace." No one spoke. In fact, it was so quiet you could hear the frogs chirping from the pond. "Very well then, the rings if you please."

Ginny shifted her bouquet to one hand and held out a silver band in the other. Harry allowed her to slip it onto his finger, and then pulled out her ring from his pocket. It too was silver, but it had garnet placed in the middle of it. Ginny let him slide it on and looked up at him lovingly.

"Please recite your vows to each other," said the official. Harry held Ginny's hands in his as he began to speak, "Ginerva Weasley, I promise to love, honor and protect you from anything that chooses to do you harm."

Ginny smiled and recited hers, "Harry Potter, I promise to love, honor and protect you from anything that chooses to do you harm." The man held his wand above their heads and said loudly, "I hereby name this union official." He flicked his wand in a strange pattern and a yellow light shot from the tip and descended onto Ginny and Harry. Sera, Rafe, and the rest of the guests covered their eyes as the light became extremely bright.

After a few moments of blinding light, it faded away to reveal the happy newlyweds caught in a lip lock. Everyone began clapping as they separated and descended the stairs. A band began playing near the makeshift dance floor and the guests stood up and headed in that direction. Rafe stood up and offered his arm to Sera. "Would you like to dance?"

Sera nodded and took his arm before standing up. As they made their way to the dance floor, she saw a flash of white blonde hair. She sped up to get a better look and saw that it was the amazing bouncing ferret himself, Draco Malfoy. Sera wondered if he knew she was there. Rafe guided her past the tables and onto the floor, where a new song had just begun. It was a faster paced song, for which she was glad. Rafe had probably never slow danced anyway.

He put his hand on her waist and took one of her hands in his. "I'll lead," he said and twirled them around towards the other people. "And I'll follow," she whispered in his ear. He grinned and pulled her closer. She clung to him as they swept by the other couples. Sera was surprised he knew how to ballroom dance. "I didn't know you could dance like this."

"There are a lot of things I can do," he said and squeezed her fingers playfully. She smiled and rolled her eyes as she allowed him to lead her around the floor. Her surroundings blurred and the only thing she could see clearly was him. His moon eyes drew her in and held her gaze. A shiver ran up her spine as he let go of her waist and trailed a finger down her back. He made sure she was paying attention to him, and only him.

Sera broke the gaze and focused her attention on the people sitting at the tables. Harry and Ginny were sipping out of each others champagne glasses. Ron and Hermione were picking at their food and giving each nervous glances. _Finally come to your senses, eh? About bloody time. _Draco was currently sitting alone at a table towards the back. He was also watching her.

She smiled in his direction, and he smiled back. Sera held up her hand and made a 'one second' gesture. He nodded in understanding before standing up. The song ended and Sera brought them to a stop, "Rafe, would you mind go over to Harry and Ginny and chatting for a few minutes? I have to go talk to someone."

Rafe looked at her suspiciously, but said, "Sure. Don't take too long though." He let go of her and walked over to Harry, who shook his hand and offered him a seat next to him. Sera sighed and walked towards Draco. She gave him a small hug, which he returned with enthusiasm. "How have you been Sera?" he asked after taking his seat. "Oh, I've been good. I've been in Bucharest for the past few months, on vacation. You?"

"Working at the ministry. I donated a lot of my family's fortune to them after the war," he said and smiled. "You look beautiful tonight."

Sera blushed and mumbled a thanks. "Are you doing okay, as far as your mother...you know?"

Draco's expression changed from happy to sad, in a matter of seconds. "I'm fine, you just have to learn to get over these things. Dwelling on the past will get you nowhere."

"That's a good way to think. Just be glad that her killer is dead and can't harm anyone else."

"Yeah, I'm glad she's dead. I never thought my aunt was a nice person, but I never pegged her for being someone who could kill their own sister," he said quietly.

Sera laid her hand on his. "Bellatrix had seen many disturbing things in her time and I think it's safe to say she wasn't quite right in the head."

He raised his head to look at her. "How is it that you can accept people for their flaws even if they've done so many wrongs in the past?"

She smiled. "It's easy once you realize that revenge and criticism only hurts more. You can't hold someone's past against them if they are trying to become a better person." She glanced over at Rafe who was currently eating pork chops and steak. Draco covered her hand with his and said, "Thank you."

She turned back to him and asked, "For what?"

He tilted his head to the side and smiled, "For making me feel better, and for caring. There aren't too many people that give a damn about me, mostly thanks to my father." He let go of her hand and stood up. "I want to also apologize for my behavior back in Hogwarts. All those mean things I said came from my fathers mouth, not mine. I just wish the war had taken place before we had to go to Hogwarts, then maybe we could have been friends."

Sera looked up at him. "There's no reason why we can't be friends now."

He looked thoughtfully at the crowd and said, "Yes, I suppose we can be friends now."

She stood up and gave him another hug. "Well, it was good seeing you again, friend," she giggled.

Draco squeezed her tightly before releasing, "You too. When will you be back?"

Sera's mouth went dry, she had not even thought about coming back, until just now. "Um, I don't really know. I'll write to you when I've figured everything out for myself."

"Alright, I'll see you sometime soon then. Bye."

"Goodbye Draco," she said and watched as disappeared into the crowd of people. _I like this Draco; so much sweeter._ "Should I be worried about you two?" Sera was startled to hear Rafe's voice behind her. She whipped around to see him with his arms crossed and an amused expression on his face. She smiled and moved closer to him, "Of course not. We're just friends Rafe, honest."

He pursed his lips and nodded slowly. "If you say so." Sera rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm. "I'm tired, would you mind if I cut our visit short?"

"Not at all, but I haven't gotten dessert yet," he mock pouted.

"I'll see if Mrs. Weasley can give us a doggie bag."

* * *

Rafe waited patiently for Sera to come down stairs. All the lights were off, but there was a fire going in the fireplace and several candles were lit around the room. He had pulled the coffee table closer to the couch so they could eat their dessert in comfort. Two plates laid on the table, both had a piece of German chocolate cake on them. As much as he wanted to dig into them, Rafe was going to wait for Sera.

She descended the stairs in her pajamas, which consisted of a tight red tank top, and black cotton, drawstring pants. Rafe moved over and let her sit down. "Wow, I've never seen you in anything so...casual."

Sera snorted, "Yep. No makeup or fancy clothes, just me. Consider yourself lucky, no one other than my mother has seen me like this."

Rafe smiled, "Well I'm glad that you trust me enough to let me see you like this. I personally think you look your best right now, natural."

She chuckled and picked up her plate and dug her fork into the cake. "Open up nature boy." Rafe opened his mouth and bit down on the fork, slowly pulling the food off. Then he grabbed his own plate and proceeded to feed her. A little chocolate got on her chin and he set down their plates so he could get it off. Sera leaned back onto the arm of the couch as he crawled closer to her.

He smirked and leaned down to lick and nibble her chin clean. Sera couldn't help but giggle as Rafe began lapping at the front of her neck. He then moved up to her lips and started kissing her. His tongue was hot and wet as he swept it over and in between her lips. She opened her mouth and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He pushed up against her and dropped his mouth to her neck.

Sera was breathless, but didn't stop him. She turned her head to the side and let out a heavy sigh. Rafe pulled away from her and stared at her neck. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he got off of her and sat back on the couch, not looking her.

"Rafe, what-" she started to say something when he turned his head to look at her. His eyes were a bright gold, and very wolfish.

"You don't have a clue as to what your doing to me, do you?"

Sera didn't understand what he meant by that. "What do you mean?"

He sighed and laid back. "In our culture, baring your neck shows submissiveness. In my case, every time you show me your neck, whether it's purposely done or an accident, the animal inside me goes crazy."

"Why?"

Rafe reached over and took her hand in his. "Because I love you, and the wolf side of me wants me to take you as my mate. He wants me to mark you."

Sera rubbed his hand with her thumb. "And what do you want?"

"The same," was his quiet reply. "It's really hard not to give in to my instincts, especially when I'm with you."

She scooted over to him and laid on his chest. "Well, you won't have to wait too long."

He looked down at her and smiled. "Oh, and why is that?"

Sera returned the smile with full force. "Because I love you too."

* * *

And they lived happily ever after...just kidding. Review please, they really make my day.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or Blood and Chocolate.

a/n: Yay, chapter thirteen is up. I hope all my lovely reviewers enjoy this chapter.

**

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**Chapter 13: **Finally

_I've heard it's poisonous. Is it safe for me to drink? _Sera stared at the shot glass in front of her. It held a strange green liquid, better known as Absinthe.

"You'll like it, I promise," Rafe said before downing his own glass and setting it down on the table.

"If you say so...," she picked up the glass and put it to her lips. She took a quick glance at him before opening her mouth and swallowing the drink. She coughed and scrunched up her nose before setting the glass down.

Rafe smiled and laughed. "It takes a while to get used to it, but once you do it's a fairly pleasant drink." He watched her gingerly rub her throat. "And it's better if you don't let it touch your tongue."

Sera cleared her throat and blinked a few times. "I'll have to remember that next time."

Rafe turned his head and looked at the ruined wall across the dance floor. The rest of the Five were currently scouring the crowd for any available girls atop the wall. He sent an annoyed look their way before turning back around.

Sera raised an eyebrow at his annoyed expression. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just hate them doing that. It's stupid, and embarrassing."

She watched one of the boys jump off the wall and land in the middle of a group of chatting girls. He stood up and tried to look macho, but the girls simply turned up their noses and walked away. She grinned and looked back at Rafe.

"Why Rafe, didn't _you _used to do the exact same thing?" Sera asked.

Rafe sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Yes, but that was before I met you."

She smiled and looked down at the table. "It's funny," she whispered.

"What is?" he asked curiously.

She raised her head to look at him. "How love can change your outlook on life. Silly things that used to worry about seem to just, fade away."

He chuckled before saying, "Well, I've simply found something else that is more important than childish games." He stood up and offered her a hand. "Ready to dance?"

Sera nodded and let herself get pulled over to the crowd of people. The closer Rafe led her to the Five, the more uncomfortable she got. He stopped them a few yards away from the wall - a reasonable distance. But she felt eyes on her. Looking around, she spotted several couples, and a few single guys around the room staring at her.

"Don't worry," Rafe said in her ear, "they're just curious."

"Are they loup-garou?"

"A lot of them are. They won't make a move to hurt you, trust me," he pulled her close to him and pressed his lips softly onto hers. She opened her mouth and felt him slide his tongue on her top lip. He pulled back slightly, and whispered, "Let them _watch _us."

Sera sucked in a breath as a familiar song began playing. It was the same song that was playing when she first saw Rafe. He smirked as he too recognized the song.

"How about we overwrite that dreadful memory and replace it with something better?" he trailed his hands down her sides and rested them on her hips. He slipped a couple of fingers through the belt loops on her jeans before pushing his chest into hers. "Dance with me, my little witch."

The rhythm was picking up and she swung her hips from side to side to match it. She twisted out of his grip and turned away from him, giving him a generous view of her backside. Sera smiled and bit her lip and continued to dance. She closed her eyes as the music from the speakers went through her. She could feel skin purposely brushing past her. She peaked out of one eye to see some of the couples from earlier dancing past her and Rafe.

After closing her eyes again, she felt rough fabrics touching her skin. Jackets. Males. It was the Five coming to check her out. Calloused fingers moved down her bare arms. A hand went into her hair and fingers slid through effortlessly. Her eyes flew open as a wet tongue went over her cheek and one of them made a very non masculine giggle. A growl was heard before Rafe snaked his arms around her waist from behind. "Knock it off, Ulf," he growled.

Ulf giggled louder and backed away with the rest of them, but they didn't leave completely. Rafe used his sleeve to wipe the saliva off her cheek. She pushed her rear into him and began moving anew. This time he held onto her while moving with her. He would give a playful shove with his hips when one of the drummers hit the drums especially hard.

She raised her arms up and reached behind her to find his neck. Sera ran her hands through his deliciously thick hair before grabbing hold of it and turning around to face him. His eyes glazed over as he let her pull his head back and expose his neck to her. She bent down and sucked on the junction in between his neck and shoulder. He seemed to almost purr in approval.

Sera took this as a sign to move further, so she bit him. His grip tightened around her waist as he gasped and turned his head. "Any farther and I'll lose my mind, Serafina," he whispered into her neck, his voice shaking. Sera let go of his neck and blushed. Rafe was breathing heavily and rubbing his neck. Once he was finished, he grabbed her hand and took her over to the stairs, where they started to ascend to the higher level.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"I'm taking you home," was his reply. As they moved towards the exit, Gabriel rounded the corner. Rafe visibly stiffened as Gabriel stopped in front of them. His eyes landed on Rafe's pink neck. "Having a good time?" he asked, looking over at Sera.

"Yes, we were," Rafe said before wrapping an arm protectively around her shoulders. "And now I'm taking her home. Enjoy the rest of your night, Gabriel." He steered Sera away from his father and they continued down the hallway.

* * *

**Three days later...**

Sera sat in the jacuzzi drinking a Sprite and waiting for Rafe to come outside. Crickets were chirping like crazy below the balcony. Everything was soggy and wet thanks to the rain that had fallen in morning. The electricity had gone out over an hour ago, so candles were lit and sitting on the table and railing. The moon also provided a natural light in the darkness.

_I'll bet anything he's just making me wait so I can get nervous. _Sera set her drink down on the table and slouched down further into the steaming water. She perked up when he finally walked out onto the balcony and shut the glass door behind him. Sera swallowed hard as he moved towards her, bare chested.

"All this excitement for me?" he smirked as he lifted a leg over and hopped in. The water splashed onto her face and hair. "Rafe! I pulled my hair up so it wouldn't get wet!" He dodged her hand and ducked under water. He surfaced next to her with a smirk on his face. "Now we're even."

The corners of her mouth twitched. "Oh, we are far from even, Rafe." Her hands moved underneath the water and began tickling his sides. He drew in a harsh breath and pulled away. "Hey, stop that. I mean it Sera, I'm ticklish," he growled.

She smirked and continued tickling him. Eventually, he backed himself into a corner trying to get away from her. He doubled over and tried to fend off her hands, but the water was making it difficult to hold onto her. His laughter echoed off into the distance. "I'll do anything! Just stop that please!"

Sera pulled her hands away, but was immediately tackled by Rafe, who was ready for revenge. Her nerves were on fire as his fingertips danced along her sides. "No, I'm sorry! I'll never do it again!" she laughed. Rafe smirked wickedly and ceased what he was doing, before pushing her into the corner. "I win," he whispered, looking into her eyes.

She giggled and replied, "Yes you did."

He leaned into her and caught her lips in a passionate kiss. He felt her smile against him, and deepened the kiss. She opened her mouth and tilted her head to the side, allowing him to slip his tongue into her mouth. She moaned and wrapped her arms and legs around him, bringing him closer to her.

Rafe's body was flush against hers and the heat was almost unbearable. His skin rubbed against hers as he raised himself onto his knees. He kneaded her back with his knuckles before bending down to lick her collarbone. She ran her hands through his hair and kissed his forehead.

He made his way to her neck but stopped and looked up into her eyes with a serious expression on his face. "If I mark you, we'll be bound together forever. Do you want this Sera?"

Sera's eyes watered and she brought his face up to hers. "Yes, I love you Rafe. No more running away." She smiled at him.

Rafe's eyes softened and his lips trembled slightly. He placed a gentle kiss on her mouth before bending down to her neck. Gentle, so gentle. She let out a shaky breath as she felt him lick her neck. _Merlin, this is it._

She experienced a sharp pain as he bit into her neck. His teeth were a lot longer and sharper than before. Sera gasped and let out a cry. She dug her nails into his back and heard him groan as he bit harder. A ripple of pleasure went down her spine and settled in between her legs. "Rafe." She didn't even recognize her own voice. It was deep and sensual.

A trail of blood made its way down her front and dripped into the water. Rafe pulled back and looked at the bite. There was blood on his mouth. His eyes were golden as they caught hers. He moved over to the side and pulled himself out of the water. Sera watched him quickly wipe the blood off his face with a towel, and trembled as he lifted her out of the water.

Rafe smiled down at her, his eyes changing back to their natural color. "Now we must finish our mating upstairs," he nuzzled her cheek. "I'll be as gentle as I can."

Sera smiled and nuzzled him back. "I trust you." Nodding, he grabbed a few towels and carried her back into the cabin and up the stairs to _their _bedroom.

* * *

And I'll leave it to your imaginations to think of what happens in there. (insert creepy laugh here) Review please!


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Blood and Chocolate or Harry Potter.

**A/N: **I would like to thank the following people for their reviews: _Dahlila, HotWolfGirl, Raging Raven, brrwsklly, Logue, MaidenOfTheLake, -BeeVee-THEEAmazing, shadowed-bite and NotXReadyXtoXMakeXnice_. I'm really sorry about the late update. I've been obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean the last couple of weeks, and haven't had my mind in the right place for writing. Plus I have a cruise to prepare for. :) By the way, did any of you see At World's End?

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Chapter 14: Now We're in Trouble 

Rafe groaned and rolled over in his sleep. He unconsciously reached for Sera, but ended up patting an empty place. He scrunched up his nose and opened his eyes when he realized that she wasn't in bed with him. "Sera?" Rafe called out when he didn't see her after looking around the room. A delicious smell wafted through the open door.

He smiled and threw the covers back to expose his naked flesh. He made his way downstairs and slinked towards the kitchen. Peeking around the corner, he spotted her in a robe stirring something in a bowl on the counter. Rafe drank in her appearance with delight. Her hair hadn't been brushed and fell down her back in a tangled mess. She pushed a piece behind her ear and started humming an unfamiliar tune.

Rafe waited until she walked over to the sink, before he moved closer. He had almost reached her when she turned around with bowl in hand. "Rafe!" Sera screamed, almost dropping the bowl. "What the hell are you doing?"

Her face flushed a bright pink as Rafe walked up to her, completely bare. He smirked and leaned in to give her a kiss on the neck. "I was too tired to put on my clothes, let alone _find _them," he chuckled as Sera shivered from his hot breath.

"Sleep well?" she asked trying to change the subject. She made her way over to the stove and poured the contents of the bowl into a pan. "Yes, very well," he said and leaned back to observe her. "Sera?" he asked quietly.

"Yes?"

Rafe hesitated before continuing in a whisper, "Do you regret what happened?"

Sera's movements slowed and she turned around to face him. "Absolutely not," she said in a firm voice, her eyes becoming misty. "I wouldn't trade last night for anything in the world," she said and smiled warmly.

Rafe smiled before gesturing to the stove. "What are you making?"

Sera brought her hand up to her face and wiped away an escaped tear. "Pancakes and sausage. One part sweet and one part spicy."

He laughed, "The best of both worlds, eh? Alright, I'm all for it." He stood up straight and came over to her. "There's something we need to talk about, but it can wait until after we're done eating."

* * *

After they finished breakfast, Sera and Rafe moved to the living room and situated themselves on the couch. Sera laid across his lap and looked up at him. "What's up?" 

He sighed as she reached up to twirl a strand of his hair around her finger. "I'm going to go back to my mother's house soon. Gabriel will probably be there waiting for me and if he is, he'll smell you on me," he said and took her other hand in his. "And he'll know what we did."

Sera nodded and brought his hand to her mouth. "I'll go with you," she said and kissed his palm.

"No Sera, it's too dangerous. He's gonna be pissed beyond all reason-"

"Which is why I should come, if only to make sure you're safe."

Rafe shook his head and said firmly, "I _won't _let you get hurt over this."

"And neither will I," she snapped and jutted out her chin defiantly. "I'm going and there is _nothing_ you can do about it, puppy." Sera narrowed her eyes and dared him to tell her no.

The clock above the fireplace struck twelve and made a loud noise to welcome noon. Rafe stared at her for what seemed like forever before finally giving up. "Alright, you can come. Just promise me you'll stay close—Gabriel might have others there as well."

Sera relaxed and smiled in her small victory. "I can handle myself Rafe, don't you worry about that. Plus I'll have a chance to use my defensive magic, which you remember quite well, don't you?"

"Too well, actually," he smirked as she pulled herself up to a sitting position. "You know, you're really sexy when you're angry."

She raised a shapely eyebrow. "Am I now?"

"Yes _witch_, you are." He grabbed her around the waist and leaned down to kiss her. Sera moved her head to the side to get a better angle. She moaned as Rafe worked his tongue into her mouth and fought with her own. She grabbed his shoulders and pushed off the couch, successfully landing them on the floor. Growls and moans bounced off the walls of the cabin for the next half hour, before they separated to get cleaned up.

* * *

When they arrived at Astrid and Vivian's apartment, Gabriel's silver car was parked in front on the building. The Five's SUV was also parked off to the side. "Wonderful," Rafe groaned. "Prepare yourself for the worst." 

Sera laughed, "I don't think it will be that bad Rafe."

He smirked and looked over at her. "Oh, but you don't know my father like I do." He opened the car's door and hopped out. She followed him up the flights of stairs until they reached the top, where Rafe halted her. "Shh, stay quiet," he whispered.

Voices were coming from inside the home. "When did you last see him?" a rough voice asked. Gabriel.

"Yesterday morning. He never told us where he was going," someone whined. "You have to believe us Gabriel."

"He didn't say where he was going?"

"No, though he did seem pretty happy when he left." She could hear the smirk in the voice.

"That girl Sera, he was with her at the club the other night. Did you know that?" asked another.

Silence followed the unanswered question. "So," Gabriel spoke calmly, "that's where you've run off to." Rafe noticed the harsh tone in his father's voice. "Come on, before he works himself into a rage," Sera said quietly, urging him to move.

He nodded and took her hand in his before pulling her behind him up the last few steps. Gabriel must have heard them, and started to walk through the living room, but Astrid beat him to the stairs. "Oh Rafe, you're all right!" she said before hugging him.

"Good grief mother, I've been gone longer then a day before," Rafe rolled his eyes and gave her a one armed hug. Astrid pulled back and smiled at her son before looking past him at Sera. Then she noticed them holding hands, and the smell, and the mark on the girl's shoulder.

"Rafe, you've _marked_ her," she gasped, closing her hand and bringing it up to her chest. "Baby why didn't you tell me?" Astrid moved Gabriel aside, who was currently glaring at Sera. Rafe pushed passed them with Sera still holding onto him. "Because I knew he wouldn't let me if I asked."

The Five were standing at the end of the room looking confused when Rafe and Sera entered the living room. He rubbed her hand and guided her over to the couch, where she took a seat.

"You're damn right I wouldn't have let you. How could," he paused, "no, how dare you take her as your mate?" Rafe raised an eyebrow at his father.

"How dare you take this _thing_-,"

"Don't you call her that!" Rafe yelled. "She has a name Gabriel, and you would do well to remember that," he threatened.

Gabriel sneered at Sera, before turning his attention back to his son. "Have I taught you nothing? Do you remember who killed Vivian's parents?"

"She's not like that. If you had given her a chance she would have proved you wrong. That's what you are afraid of isn't it? Change," Rafe spat, his eyes like liquid gold. Sera wanted to intervene, but didn't know what to say. What could she say in a situation like this?

"I've had it up to here with you boy," Gabriel growled, slowly advancing on Rafe. "You will learn your place, otherwise you will never take charge of the pack and become alpha." He looked at Sera and his eyes too changed color, from brown to yellow. "That and you'll have to get rid of the _witch_."

He ran at her, but Rafe shoved him into a wall and pinned him. "I don't want your pack! They are a bunch of low, mangy animals who crave nothing more than to get blood on their muzzles," he said with disdain on his face.

Gabriel pushed him off and laughed. "Remember when you used to crave the same? You haven't changed Rafe, the wolf is still inside of you, and always will be," he walked over to Rafe, who had his elongated teeth bared in warning. "And as long as he lives inside of you, he will want to kill her. Could you live like that?"

Rafe smirked nastily. "Your only half right, Gabriel. He does want her... but not to kill."

Sera blushed and closed her eyes. A loud bang caused her to open them. Rafe had Gabriel on the floor and was punching him. "Don't you ever try to hurt her again, you bastard!"

"Rafe stop!" Astrid and Sera both yelled. Sera stood up and began walking over to the fighting males, but stopped when they transformed.

Jaws snapped and bit into flesh, trying to find a vulnerable spot. It was easy enough telling which one was Gabriel, and which one was Rafe. Gabriel was pitch black, with a graying muzzle and yellow eyes. Rafe was tawny with two different colored eyes.

Gabriel grabbed bit into Rafe's neck and began shaking him violently. Rafe screamed out in pain and pawed at his shoulder, eventually slicing it open with one of his claws. He snarled when Gabriel let go and slammed his body into him.

Astrid looked on with an extremely frightened expression on her face. Tears were also streaming down her pale face. "Please stop!? No!" she screamed and covered her face with her hands, while letting out a whimper.

The Five watched with hungry expressions. One of them was even hopping from foot to foot with glee on his face. Sera glared hotly at them. _Disgusting airheads! What normal person or creature would take pleasure in watching this?_

"Aren't you going to stop them?" she yelled.

They turned to look at her like she was crazy. "Why would we do that? This fight will decide our new alpha," one said matter-of-factly. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Sera narrowed her eyes at him. "Well, if you won't then I will."

He laughed mockingly. "How are you gonna do that?"

She smirked knowingly and pulled out her wand. "Like this," she said before aiming it at Gabriel. She fired a spell and it sent him crashing into a chair. He quickly picked himself up and charged at her, growling menacingly.

Rafe moved to intervene, but Sera yelled at him, "No! Stay out the way!" He stopped and watched as she cast another spell at his father. "Sectumsempra!"

Gabriel howled in pain as the spell cut into him, causing several gashes to appear. Blood spurted from the wounds and puddled on the wooden floor beneath him. He whined and fell to the ground, still very much alive.

Astrid screamed and rushed over to him. "Gabriel!" She looked up at Sera. "What have you done?"

Sera replied venomously, "I protected my mate. You can't be angry with me Astrid, you would have done the same thing if someone attacked Gabriel."

Astrid's pained expression made Sera want to hug her, but right now that wasn't possible. _I shouldn't have used that spell. _Rafe tried to get close to Gabriel, but Astrid smacked him away. "Leave, both of you!"

Rafe whined and tried to comfort his mother, but she punched his muzzle. "Get away from me!" He backed away from her and looked up at Sera. Rafe barked and trotted over to the top of the stairs. Sera followed him, but stopped before descending with Rafe. "I'm sorry," she whispered over her shoulder, before continuing on her way.

Astrid laid next to Gabriel, running her hands through his thinning coat. She clenched her eyes shut, fresh tears trailing down her cheeks. Ulf ran over to the stairwell and yelled down at Rafe, "And don't come back, you traitor!"

Sera cringed after she heard that. She ran over to the truck and opened the passenger door for Rafe, who jumped in and sat down. Then she got into the drivers seat and started the vehicle. "We're going back to my cabin to get my things, then we're gone," she said to Rafe, who nodded his approval before turning to look ahead.

"I don't think we're welcome here anymore."

* * *

And that's all folks! I'll try to have the next chapter up soon. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **I own the plot of the story and the original characters.

**A/N: **Well, I'm back from my cruise and back to reality. It would have been nicer if it hadn't rained, though. Oh well, you take what you can get. The people who submitted a review for chapter fourteen: _NotXReadyXtoXMakeXnice, brrwsklly, -BeeVee-THEEAmazing, Dahlila, jenn.leslie, Logue and scarygothicgurl._ Thank you all very much. :-)

* * *

Chapter 15: Home Again 

Sera packed her things quickly, not taking any time to change into something cooler. Sweat gathered on her brow as she shoved her remaining clothes into the last duffle bag and jogged downstairs, dragging her luggage behind her.

Rafe waited at the bottom of the stairs for her, his face covered in scratches. "Do you have everything?"

"Yes," she sighed as she set down the bags and shrunk them with her wand. She turned to him and raised a hand to his face. "I wish you would let me heal those. It would only take a minute-"

He shook his head and kissed her hand. "No, they're battle scars. I fought for you and am proud to show it." She smiled. "Well if that's the case, I guess you can keep them—just as long as you clean them up."

"Deal," he said, grinning. He glanced at the clock above the fireplace. "It's getting late."

Sera nodded, picked up the tiny, palm-sized bags and put them in her pockets. She reached down her sweater and pulled out the necklace portkey. "Rafe, are you sure you want to leave?"

"I don't have much of a choice. Besides, we need to give Gabriel time to calm down." His expression was sad as he spoke. "I will miss my mother though."

She raised a brow. "And Vivian?"

He laughed humorously. "Yes, even Vivian." He wrapped his arms around her waist and laid his head on her shoulder. Sera unhooked the necklace and wound the chain around both of them. "Here we go," she said and waited for the familiar tug in her navel.

When it came, Rafe gave an unexpected gasp as they disappeared without a trace. The cabin became quiet and still. The fire in the fireplace was extinguished, finally.

They fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Sera opened her eyes and saw a starry, night time sky. She smiled and giggled as Rafe wiggled out from under her. "Where are we?"

She sat up and looked over at him. "Home."

He cocked his head to the side and turned to take in the surrounding area. He blinked rapidly, his eyes trying to adjust to the sudden light difference. "Where is home, exactly?" he asked.

"Kentucky," she said and inhaled deeply. "Come on, it smells like my mom is cooking dinner." She stood up and offered him her hand. He accepted the hand and she pulled him up. "Are we on a farm?" he asked.

It was her turn to laugh. "How could you tell? It's too dark to see anything out here."

"I smell horses," he said, wrinkling his nose. "And grass, and hay." Rafe looked around and spotted lights coming from a large, cottage style house. "Is that your house?"

"Yep, that's the Anna Belle," she said with pride. "It's over two hundred years old and has belonged to several generations of my family."

"Wow, that's old," Rafe said and crossed his arms. "Your house has a name?"

Sera smirked. "Not the name I would have given it, but it works nonetheless."

Rafe chuckled and grabbed her hand. "Yes, it does." He pulled her behind him as he made his way up the stairs to the front porch. She knocked on the door before turning the knob and pushing it open. "Mommy, are you in there?" she called.

Rafe walked in cautiously, shutting the door quietly behind him. They made their way through her living room, which was furnished in antique furniture and a widescreen television. Sera pushed a pair of swinging doors open to reveal the kitchen.

Her mother, Lidia, was sitting at a small wooden table in the back of the room near the window. She took a sip of her drink before looking up. "Sera, what are you doing back so early?" she asked, startled by her daughters sudden appearance. Sera sighed, "It's complicated."

Over dinner, Sera explained the situation to Lidia, who wasn't pleased. "Honey, I wish you would have told me what was going on," she said, her brown eyes catching the light. "I would have come to get you."

Sera smiled into her lemonade before setting it down. "Sorry mom. This was and still is a strictly magical problem."

Lidia propped her elbows on the table and gathered her hands under her chin. "I know I can't help in the magical area, but that doesn't mean I can't give good advice. Why don't you just try talking to Gabriel and the pack?"

Rafe shook his head. "No, he doesn't work like that. No loup garou does. He only knows one kind of justice, and he'll use it in any way he sees fit."

Lidia grinned. "He sounds like my father. Very strict and harsh. He always did what he thought was best for my brother and I, even though we hated him for it."

"And still do, as I recall," Sera said and wiped her mouth with a napkin. Lidia looked down at the table, "That I do," she looked up at Sera, then at Rafe. "So do you two plan on getting married?"

Sera's eyes went wide as she stole a look at Rafe, who smirked in return. "I want to and I sure hope she does too," he said with a wink. She blushed and looked down at her lap. "Uh...well...it's a bit early to start thinking about that, don't you think?"

Rafe smirk grew wider as he began rubbing his leg up her own, working his way up to her thighs. She gasped and jumped a couple inches out of her seat. _Not in front of my mother Rafe! _Lidia reached across the table, "Baby, are you okay?"

Sera coughed and smiled politely at her mother. "I'm fine, it was just a shiver," she said between clenched teeth. "I'm kind of tired. I think I'll go to bed now," she reached under the table and shoved Rafe's foot away, which earned her a chuckle. She glared at him before standing up and putting her plate into the sink.

"Night night," she said to her mother before walking out of the kitchen and going up the stairs to her bedroom. She quickly stripped off her clothing and slid an oversized t-shirt over her head. Her bed was just as soft as she remembered it. Sera snuggled under the covers and closed her eyes, sighing in content.

The door creaked open and Rafe stuck his head in. Sera took a peek at him and rolled over to her other side. "Sera, are you mad at me?" he whispered.

"No, ya think?" she answered in a huff and drew the covers over her head.

Rafe pulled his shirt and pants off and slid into bed next to her. "Mmm, comfy." He ducked his head under the covers and began kissing her neck. "Why are you so mad at me?"

Sera sighed and leaned into his touch. "Because you almost embarrassed me in front of my mother."

"Almost being the operative word," he laughed. "She didn't notice anything Sera, don't worry."

She rolled her eyes and turned around to face him. "Did you mean what you said earlier, about marrying me?"

He smiled at her and traced her jawline with his index finger. "Yes, I do. Will you marry me?"

Sera bit her lip and laughed. "Yes," she whispered.

Rafe laughed too and got a big goofy grin on his face. "Great, then it's settled."

"I guess so. Get some rest, tomorrow we're going riding."

"On what?"

She giggled. "A horse."

* * *

Lidia had breakfast ready when they came downstairs the next morning. "Wow, Lidia, this looks great," Rafe complimented her. "Thank you Rafe. Now eat up; it's not good to go riding on an empty stomach," she replied before picking up an envelope off the counter and handing it to Sera. 

"This came for you by owl."

Sera looked at the front of the envelope and found the Ministry's insignia. _What could they want? _She sat down across from Rafe and opened it up with her nail. "What's that?" he asked while cutting up a sausage patty.

She shrugged and unfolded the letter. Then, she began to read aloud:

"Dear Ms. Tracey,

We are pleased to inform you, that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is now accepting applications for the post of Transfiguration teacher. Due to your high scores on your O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, we are giving you an early opportunity to apply to the school's staff. If you wish to apply, report to the Department of Education on August 6th, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Hoopla Jenkins, Head of Education"

Sera finished the letter and set it aside. "Don't I feel special," she said dryly.

"Are you going to apply?" Rafe asked curiously.

She took a bite of her eggs. "I don't think so. Teaching has never really interested me."

Lidia brought a plate over and sat down next to Sera. "I think it's a wonderful idea. You said yourself Hogwarts' was very dear to you."

"It is mom, but going back as a teacher would be...well...weird," she picked up her glass of milk. "Besides, they usually don't let people teach at Hogwarts when they're my age. I don't even know why they bothered sending me that letter," she retorted.

"Maybe they changed the rules," Rafe suggested.

"Doubtful," she said sourly. "Anyway, I want to become Auror, it suits my personality better."

"But Voldemort was defeated, why would they need Aurors anymore?" Lidia asked.

Sera frowned. "He may be gone, but his Death Eaters and other dark witches and wizards are still out there."

"What are Death Eaters?" asked Rafe.

"They're the followers of an extremely bad wizard called Voldemort. Remember the war I said I fought in?"

His eyes widened slightly. "Oh yeah, they must have been awful."

Sera nodded and stood up. "Are you ready?"

Rafe smiled brightly. "Yep, let's go." He stood up and headed over to the back door with her, but they were stopped by Lidia's voice. "Don't forget the lunches I packed for you!" Sera turned to see her standing with a basket held out in front of her.

"There's sandwiches, potato salad, pretzels, Key Lime Pie, and a few cans of cream soda," she said, grinning. Sera took the basket and gave her a quick hug. "Thanks mom."

"Be careful and don't do anything crazy," Lidia warned.

Sera laughed and waved her off. "We will, we will. See ya later."

The horses were finishing digesting when they entered the smaller barn in the back, which was used for family horses, not Thoroughbred racers. The white paint on the walls inside the barn was peeling and turning a light shade of yellow.

"It's about time I repainted in here," she said while inspecting walls.

"What's with all the white?" Rafe asked.

"My dad was a neat freak and liked things to stay tidy. If everything is white, it's easy to see the dirt, and then it's easy to clean it up."

"That's strange, but logical I suppose," he said after pulling off a piece of paint. "So, who are we going to ride today?"

"Follow me." Sera walked slowly down the wide isle, petting the muzzles of friendly horses. She stopped at a stall and leaned over the door. Clicking her tongue, she beckoned the horse forward with her hand. A small, Arabian mare edged closer to her, until her head stuck out over the door. "Hiya girl," she said happily as she rubbed her forehead. "This is Valoo. Valoo this is Rafe, the one who's gonna ride you today. Say hi."

Rafe raised a hand and let the horse smell it. Val's nostrils flared at the scent the stranger gave off, but let him pet her neck anyway. "She's pretty," Rafe said. The mare was a rich mahogany bay color, with a black mane and tail. She also had dark points on his legs and ears, with a thin stripe that ran down to her pink muzzle.

"And this is my baby," Sera said proudly after stepping over to the next stall. Rafe peeked around to see a short, stocky horse that was coal black. "Good morning Ebony," she cooed to the mare. "Have you missed me?"

Ebony nickered softly as a reply and let Sera cradle her head in her arms. "I'll take that as a yes," she laughed. "I'm going to get lead ropes, and then we're going to brush them before saddling up."

He grinned and shook his head. "What am I letting you get me into?"

* * *

Hurray, chapter fifteen is done. A nice, fluffy chapter for ya'. Don't worry though, I'll think of something to stir things up for them. 


	16. Chapter 16

**_Disclaimer: _**I don't own Blood and Chocolate.

**_a/n:_** This is just a small chapter to hold you over until I can think of some new ideas. Also, _Tenshi-Tsubasa201 _requested a profile page for Sera, so I created a Freewebs site. I have a page for Sera up, and a graphics page with wallpapers and Livejournal icons. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 16: Picnic 

She couldn't figure out what was more funny, Rafe fiddling with and swearing at his helmet, or watching him attempt to climb onto Val. Sera bit her bottom lip and covered her mouth with a gloved hand, trying to cover her laughter.

Rafe narrowed his eyes at the saddle and growled low. "Use the stirrups, honey," she said after giving Ebony a squeeze with her legs, making her walk up next to him. "I can get on without them," was his determined reply.

_Stubborn ass_. She laid her hands on top of the saddle horn and waited patiently for him to clamber up onto the dozing mare. Val gave an irritated blow and bobbed her head up and down, clearly annoyed with being woken from her cat nap.

"Oh Val, you can sleep once we get back," Sera sighed. "Are we ready?"

"Yeah," Rafe said before bumping Val to move forward. She ignored him and started playing with her bit instead, sliding her tongue along the rolling piece in the middle. He leaned forward slightly, like Sera showed him during their warm up in the round pen.

He bumped her again. "Come on, go," he huffed. She flicked an ear back to show acknowledgment, but still did not move. "Remember, squeeze and keep your legs on her. Click with your tongue to encourage her," Sera instructed. "If that doesn't work, tell her to walk on."

Rafe squeezed his legs around Val and clicked his tongue. "Walk on horsey. Walk on," he said in a commanding voice. Val finally gave in and began walking briskly towards the trail that was hidden behind the trees.

"Hey," he called over his shoulder, "It worked." There was large smile on his face and his eyes were shining with childlike exuberance. She returned the smile and turned Ebony to follow him. Val slowed down after a minutes to match Ebony's easy going pace. She decided to save her energy for the sprint to the barn, which she would try with her new, unexperienced rider.

They rode through the woods peacefully for half an hour, just enjoying nature and each others company. The leaves were beginning to turn red and gold, showing the first signs of autumn. Sera smiled as she watched a squirrel scurry up a tree after Ebony snorted at it.

Rafe watched her completely unabashed. The sun made her hair shine like fine piece of copper and made her fair skin glow. Her glittering eyes missed nothing as she looked above them at the treetops. She was like a nymph, a lovely forest dwelling nymph. He smirked to himself and wondered if they were real. He would have to ask her at some point.

She caught him staring and blushed. "What?"

He shrugged. "Nothing. Where are we going?"

Relaxing, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "You'll see," she said.

Within a few minutes they arrived at a small clearing with a pond. Rafe watched Sera dismount and decided to follow suit. She untied the basket from the back of her saddle and handed it to him. "Get out the blanket and spread it out. I'll go tie these two up," she said after taking hold of the horses' reigns.

He nodded and walked over to a grassy spot near the water. As he unfolded the blanket, he looked out at the distant green hills and old wooden fences. He could see horses running and grazing from this distance. A lone horse galloped along the fence of one of the pastures, whinnying the whole time.

"That's our neighbors' stallion Flightcheck. He's absolutely gorgeous and has a wonderful temperament. Mom wants to breed Ebony to him," Sera said while helping him. Rafe sat down and removed his helmet, then watched as she removed hers. After setting it aside, he took the basket and began taking out the contents.

"Mmm, bacon and lettuce sandwich," he said after setting it down on his paper plate.

Sera grinned as he handed her a plate. "I knew you'd like that. My mom always packs them when we go on picnics. They were my dad's favorite kind," she finished off sadly and poured some pretzels onto her plate.

He stopped what he was doing and looked over at her. "What happened to him?" He could see the hurt in her eyes as she averted her gaze to her lap. "We went on a family picnic at a park and someone drove by and started shooting."

"Who were they shooting at?" he asked.

"Oh, no one in particular. Just whoever was closest," she spoke bitterly. "Anyway, they drove around to our side and my dad blocked me from their fire using his body. It all happened so fast...and it was almost surreal."

Rafe could smell the salt from her tears as one trickled down her cheek. "I didn't even know what had happened until he fell to his hands and knees, his front soaked with sticky, red liquid. I remember all the people looking at me in horror when they saw my father's blood on my dress, where I had laid down on him as he died."

She raised her head up and closed her eyes. "And of course the person that shot him was never found. But that's just the way things are. You win some and you lose some," she finished off with a sniff. Rafe crawled over to her, she got into his lap and pulled his arms around her, willingly accepting his comfort.

He rocked them back and forth and placed light kisses on the side of her neck. "I'm sorry Sera. I wish I could have saved him for you," he said. "I wish you had not gotten your heart broken."

She rubbed his hand and leaned back into him. "Rafe, will you promise me something?"

"Anything."

She sighed and whispered. "Promise me you'll never break my heart." She felt him hug her tightly from behind and felt him turn her head with his fingers. His eyes were soft as he spoke truthfully, "Sera, I'll never break your heart, I promise. I'd rather swallow a piece of silver than cause you emotional or physical harm."

Sera smiled, tears once again building up in her eyes. "Thank you."

He grinned and rubbed her nose with his, which earned him a giggle. "Now," he said after picking up a pretzel, "open wide."


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Blood and Chocolate.

**a/n: **First off I would like to thank the reviewers, you all have been very kind. Secondly, I hope you enjoyed the profile page and graphics. I will try to update it whenever I can, as well as get a profile up on me. Thirdly, I hope you enjoy the chapter.

**Also Important: **The homepage that is listed at my account isn't my Livejournal. I will post the link to my Livejournal acct. at my new homepage. Logue, I'm going to post some new pictures of Bryan on my Livejournal. Anyone can go look at them, especially if your a fan of Bryan Dick (who plays Rafe.) I got them off his Myspace, which I will also list. Now I'm babbling. Onto the story!

* * *

Chapter 17: The Mall and a Surprise

The city of Bucharest was a lot quieter since Rafe and Sera had mysteriously vanished. There was talk among the loup garou- more like gossip- about their leader's son running off with a human girl. Gabriel had done his best to silence the talk, but the Fives' mouths proved to be too big for their faces.

Astrid had spent the last few days nursing Gabriel's wounds, under the careful watch of Beatrice, of course. Oh how she hated that red-headed bitch. Always looking down her nose at everyone, especially her.

She also wondered how her son was doing, and more importantly, where he was. Astrid regretted ever yelling at him. Actually, she was proud of him for standing up to his father in order to protect his mate. She was sure he would have won if Sera hadn't intervened.

Sera. It was hard deciding whether she hated the girl or not. On one hand she hurt the pack's leader. And on the other, her son loves her. She could tell that Sera loved him as well. It was the first time in years she had seen Rafe smile, seen him happy.

Astrid picked up her tea and brought it to her lips, thinking. Perhaps she was on the wrong side. Her son needed her, Gabriel did not. He made that painfully clear the day he told her he was leaving her. She smiled bitterly into the cup before taking a sip, letting the warm liquid slip down her throat.

Yes, it was time to move on. She would no longer hide in a corner with her tail between her legs. "Astrid," Gabriel called from the couch. Yes, the _couch_. She had not let him sleep on her bed or Vivian's. Partly because he had a mate and partly because she didn't want him there. Why should she bother with someone who doesn't want her?

She set down the mug and walked over to him. "What is it?" she asked, already knowing what he wanted. Information.

He crossed his arms carefully, minding his bandaged sides and chest. "Have you heard from him yet?" He pulled his eyes away from the television to look over at her stoic face.

"No, I haven't," she said, her voice cold. Whether he noticed the tone or not, she didn't know. He turned his head to stare vacantly out the window. "He's gonna have to come back at some point."

She tensed. It would only be a week or so before he got back on his feet. What then? Would he continue to pursue Vivian? Would he kill the meat boy she was seeing? No, she wouldn't let that happen. He had already hurt Rafe, he was not going to hurt Vivian too.

"Yes, at some point _my _son will come back," Astrid declared sharply, her hands clenching into fists. "You shouldn't trouble yourself with this while your injured. How about I go make us some breakfast, hmm?" she forced a smile onto her face and hastily made her way into the kitchen, leaving an angry Gabriel glaring after her. _You will not touch my babies, Gabriel._

* * *

It was a big day for Rafe. Today they were all going to the mall. He had already showered and dressed, and was now letting Sera brush through his thick, tangled locks. He was amazed at how easily she worked past the knots; it normally took him ages and a lot of pain. 

"All done," she said and set the paddle brush down on top of her dresser. "But I don't want you to stop. That felt soooo good," he whined, a pout forming on his lips. She kissed his cheek. "I'll brush it again tonight. C'mon, we need to get downstairs."

She got off the bed and walked over to the door. "You're no fun," he said after getting up off the bed too. Sera turned the door's handle and looked back at him. "Gee, what would you call last night then?" she asked airily.

Rafe smirked and reached out his hand, making a squeezing gesture. Her eyes widened before she threw open the door and bolted out of the room. He eagerly gave chase and ran down the long hallway after her. She screamed once she realized he was behind her.

Pushing her legs, she managed to make it to the turn before she felt a hand grab her rear. An arm snaked around her waist, which caused her to stumble to a stop. Rafe pulled her against him and said, "I win."

Sera smiled and rolled her eyes. "When don't you win?" He let go of her. "Well, I do believe you're right about that. I'm just that good," he smacked her bottom, "in everything I do." She raised a brow and continued down the hall to the stairs.

"Sera, Rafe!" Lidia called from the front door. "Are you two ready?"

They made their way downstairs and walked through the living room. "Yeah mom, we're ready. Want me to drive?" she offered.

"Oh no hon, I'll drive," Lidia said and opened up the door. Sera shook her head and went out onto the porch with Rafe while Lidia locked the door. Her mother never did trust her enough to drive, Merlin only knows why.

The parking lot was packed when they arrived. She shouldn't have been surprised. It was, after all, a Saturday. Lidia found a parking space near the entrance to JCPenny. Sera was amused when her mother was tempted to park in a handicap space. _I guess some things never do change._

Lidia immediately pulled Rafe off to look in the guys' clothes section. She started taking shirts and pants off the racks for him to try on. He obediently went into the dressing room to change. Sera began looking at a few coats while he was changing.

After the summer clothes were taken care of they began on the fall and winter clothes. She picked out a few sweaters for him, which fit him in a very flattering way, if she did say so herself. Then she gave him a leather jacket to try. She noticed that he mourned for his old leather jacket, which had been lost along with his other clothes when he was forced to transform to fight Gabriel.

They ate in the food court after Sera had gotten a few outfits for herself. "Thanks Lidia. I really appreciate it," said Rafe after he stole a piece of Bourbon chicken off Sera's plate. Lidia waved him off. "It was my pleasure Rafe. After all, your going to be my family now too."

Sera smiled as she sipped through her straw. Yes, he was her family now. Her fiance'. The word was foreign to her, but it made butterflies flutter around in her stomach. She could only imagine how wonderful it will be being married to the man she loves.

Later in the day, Lidia decided to go to the party store and look at decorations for the upcoming holidays. Like she always said, it's good to plan ahead. Rafe dragged Sera into an electronics store and began looking at all of the neat games.

She bought a few movies while they were there, all of which were picked out by Rafe. There were so many things he wanted to try out, but Sera got bored and made him follow her out of the store. They walked for a while, just looking at the merchandise through the windows.

"Do you mind if I browse in here?" Sera asked after stopping in front of a jewelry store. "I need to get something for my mom. Her birthday is in a few weeks."

He nodded. "Sure. Want me to help you look?"

"Yeah, that would be very helpful."

They began looking around the store, mostly focusing on rings. "What's her favorite color?" he asked. She scrunched up her nose and replied, "Yellow."

"Can I be of any assistance miss?" an older man in a gray suit asked from behind the counter. "Yes you can," said Sera. "I want to buy a ring for my mother for her birthday, but I don't know which one to get."

The man adjusted his glasses and put his hand under his bearded chin. "Have you considered getting one with her birthstone? We have many different styles to choose from right over here," he said and showed her the section.

"I'm sure her birthstone is a rose zircon; she was born in October," she acknowledged. He nodded and pulled out a display with the rings embedded in it. After looking checking out the entire display, Rafe picked one out that reminded Sera of her mother.

It had a delicate silver band with three stones on the top. The one in the middle was the largest and most prominent, while the other two were the smallest and most obscure. "It matches her personality perfectly. I'll take it," she said brightly.

Her mother believed in living in the moment. Today was the most important day. Not yesterday or tomorrow. Sera didn't believe in that sort of lifestyle, but that just goes to show you how different they really were.

"Wonderful," he said with a smile. "If you'll follow me over here...," the man's voice drifted off as Rafe walked over towards the door. He peeked curiously over at the engagement bands, making sure Sera wasn't looking.

"Thank you so much," her voice startled him and he jerked away from the glass counter. She came over with her bags in hand and nudged him with her elbow. "Hey, you ready?"

"Yep," he said before taking a few of the heavier bags from her. "Here, let me carry those."

"Thanks. My arm was starting to fall asleep," said said and rubbed it. She noticed his secretive smile as they went out of the store. "Do I even want to know what you're up to?"

He smirked and simply stared ahead. "Yes, you do want to know."

"And?" she pushed.

"And I'm not going to tell you, so don't ask."

"But-,"

"Nope."

Sera huffed and glared at him. "Fine then. You can sleep downstairs tonight."

Rafe laughed. "Fine by me, you'll be getting your surprise tomorrow anyway-," he gasped dramatically and covered his mouth. "Oops, I've said too much."

Her face lit up. "You've got a present for me?"

"Maybe."

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Your impossible."

* * *

Lidia met up with them later carrying various colored bags. She set them down and sat next to Sera on the bench. "Phew!" she smiled, short of breath. 

"I think you went a little overboard mom," said Sera.

"Everything was on sale. I couldn't help myself," Lidia said guiltily.

"Mm-hmm."

"So, what did you guys get?" Lidia asked while going through her own bags.

"Rafe picked out a few movies at that new electronics store next to Books-a-Million. One of them is the original Wolfman."

"Really? I haven't seen that one in ages," Lidia said. She raised the sleeve of her coat to look at her watch. "Wow, is it really that late? I guess we have been her a long time." She picked up her bags and motioned for them to follow. "We should head home. You two want to stop somewhere and get something to eat?"

Rafe made his way over to her and whispered something in her ear. Sera raised an eyebrow at him. _You're sure being sneaky, Rafe. What in the name of Merlin are you up to?_

Lidia made an 'Ah' sound before whispering something back to him. Sera coughed to gain their attention. "Um, hello? Anybody home?"

Rafe turned to her and asked politely, "Would you mind waiting out by the car for a few minutes?"

"Why?"

Lidia huffed and handed her the car keys and her bags, making Sera almost topple over. "Stop being so difficult Serafina. Now take these things out to the car and wait for us there."

Sera sighed. "Alright." She turned around and began walking towards the parking lot. She sat in the passengers seat after piling the bags into the trunk of the car. The heater warmed her skin as she dozed off while waiting for them to return.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: **I own Sera and any other original characters. I guess the plot is mine too.

**A/N: **Sorry about the wait. I've been trying to think of new ideas for the story and haven't been very successful. Hopefully this won't stink.

* * *

**Chapter 18: **Unexpected 

"Can I open my eyes yet?" Sera asked as she sat on the couch with her hands in her lap. Her fingers played with the strings on her long cotton skirt. She chewed on her bottom lip in anticipation. What had he gotten her? Rafe smiled to himself as he finished tying on the blue bow. There wasn't really any reason to add a bow – it would just get thrown away or forgotten – but he thought it was a nice touch. "Not yet," he said.

She grumbled out an annoyed response, "But I've been waiting _all day_."

"A few more moments won't hurt you."

She gave a short laugh. "Ya wanna bet? I swear, the waiting alone has taken atleast ten years off my life."

"You really are too dramatic," he said before walking over to her and bending down on one knee.

"And you really don't know when someone is joking around just to calm their nerves." She felt him take one of her hands and place something in her palm. "You can open them now," he whispered. Sera opened her eyes and looked down at the small leather case. "What is it?" she asked, her eyes now going wide.

"Well you'll have to open it to find out," Rafe smiled and reached up to touch her face. Sera nodded and leaned into his touch. "Okay."

Hands shaking, she pulled the bow loose and opened it up. Inside laid a gold and sapphire ring. She gasped and covered her mouth. Rafe watched her reaction closely. "Rafe, is this what I think it is?"

He took the case out of her hand and extracted the ring from the velvet cushion. He slid it onto her finger and looked up at her. "It's your wedding ring. I was going to originally get an engagement ring first, but decided to skip it."

Sera beamed at him and gazed down at her ring. "It's so beautiful Rafe. I love it." She got off the couch and pushed him to the ground. "And I love you even more. Thank you." She hovered over him for a few seconds before descending to give him a kiss. He ran his hands through her thick hair and kissed her back. Heat surged through both of their bodies and set them on fire.

He slid her tank top's thin strap down to reveal her now tanned skin. She sighed as he left her mouth and began gnawing on her shoulder. The feel of his tongue on her skin was overwhelming as she closed her eyes. Rafe's rumbling stomach caught her off guard, and she let out a string of giggles.

Rafe stopped what he was doing and glared down at his stomach. "Not now."

She sighed. "We can finish this later – and not in the living room." She stood up with him and they headed towards the kitchen. The doorbell rang as soon as they crossed the threshold. "What now?" he whined. "I'm hungry."

"Go ahead and pull the steak out of the freezer. I'll see who it is," Sera said. He nodded and walked over to the fridge. She turned around and made her way over to the front door. Someone unexpected was on the other side. "Astrid," she said softly in wonder, after opening the door.

Astrid smiled graciously before saying quietly, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

Sera, having gotten over the initial shock of her being there, replied, "Of course not. Please, come in." She moved to the side to let Astrid in. She noticed that Astrid had a few suitcases on the porch and decided to bring them in. "Here, let me help you with those," she offered.

"Thank you," Astrid said appreciatively as she pulled one of her suitcases and a large duffel bag inside the house. Sera walked out to grab the rest and noticed an expensive black car parked next to her mother's red Mustang. It gleamed in the moonlight while the dull Mustang reflected nothing, the shine hidden beneath layers of dust and dried-on mud.

She pulled the luggage into the house and shut the door behind her. "How did you find us?" she asked.

"You told me you lived in Kentucky. It wasn't hard tracking you down after I remembered that."

Sera nodded. "You sure do have a lot of bags with you. How long were you planning on staying?"

Astrid's twinkling blue eyes dimmed as she looked at the floor. "Gabriel banished me. I'm not allowed to go back to Bucharest." She lifted her head up to face Sera. "I don't have anywhere to go."

Sera stared at her for what seemed like hours, trying to ingest the information. "What about Vivian...and Aiden. What's going to happen to them Astrid?" she stammered.

"I don't know, that's why I came here.To ask you both for your help," she said, fire welling up behind her eyes. "I can't do this alone Sera."

The younger woman slowly crossed her arms. "I thought you didn't trust me," she said skeptically. The blond shook her head. "I do trust you." Sera raised an eyebrow as if to say, 'Really?'

Astrid took the bag off her shoulder and set it on the ground. "The woman you saw back there...that wasn't me. I'm not that kind of person. I realize now that my son is more important to me, as is Vivian." She paused and inhaled deeply. The rueful look on her face made her appear older than she was. "Gabriel has always had control over me, even after he left me. I was blinded by a love that would never be returned. Do you know how that feels Sera?"

Sera looked at the ground. She had never felt that before. "No."

Astrid walked up to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You helped me to see what was right in front of me. If it hadn't been for you, I would still be chasing after him." Sera didn't meet her gaze and instead took notice of her wrinkled clothes.

"Will you give me a chance to redeem myself?" the older woman asked. She was about to answer, when a loud clatter came from the kitchen. Both women turned to see Rafe walking casually into the living room, looking quite guilty. He stopped when he saw his mother standing next to his fiance.

"Mama!" he yelled and ran over to her, enveloping her in a hug. "What are you doing here?" he said after he let go. Astrid smiled at her son. "Oh, just a little vacation...of sorts."

Rafe's jubilant expression fell and was replaced by a look of pure contempt. "That bastard sent you away didn't he?"

Astrid nodded. "Yes, he did. But that doesn't mean I'm going to listen to him and stay away." She turned abruptly back to Sera. "So will you?"

A confused look adorned his face. "Will she what?"

Sera considered saying no, but the saying 'Everybody deserves a second chance' popped into her head. Well, Rafe stayed true to his second chance, so why shouldn't she? "Alright, but you have to promise to put Rafe and Vivian above Gabriel. No second thoughts or wishful thinking."

Astrid nodded furiously. "Absolutely. I'll do it."

"And," Sera continued, "I hope that you'll accept my love for your son. Even if you dislike me, don't push him away too."

Astrid's eyes softened. "Who am I to stand in love's way? If he loves you, then so will I." She opened her arms and smiled. Sera smiled in return and went to hug her. Astrid wrapped her arms around the young woman and squeezed gently. "I'd be proud to have you as a daughter."

Sera chuckled. "And I'll be proud to have you as a mother-in-law."

Astrid looked down at in surprise. Sera lifted her hand up to show the ring. "Oh my," she gasped. "I guess I did get here in time." Rafe came over and wrapped an arm around Sera's waist. "We're engaged," he declared.

"Yes I can see that," his mother said as she examined the ring.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Famished," was her reply.

Sera pulled away from them and began walking to the kitchen. "Good," she called over her shoulder, "because I'm just now starting dinner. Rafe, please take her things up to one of the spare bedrooms and help her get situated."

"Okay. C'mon, you're going to love this place," he said happily and reached down to grab her bags. "What were you guys talking about before I came in?"

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Just stuff. You needn't be worried about it."

"If you say so..."

* * *

By the time Lidia's birthday rolled around, the plans for Gabriel Take-Down were complete. And the plan was simple: Get in and get out as quickly and safely as possible. They would portkey to the old film making company on the outskirts of Bucharest, which was to serve as home base. Rafe had suggested the idea when asked about a safe, anti-loup garou location. 

"My father warned us to stay away from that place; he said it's dangerous," he had said. When asked why, Astrid replied simply, "Silver. The place is loaded with old reels of unused footage and dust from past fires."

And so here they sat, at Lidia's party, waiting for tomorrow to come. "Sweetheart could you answer the door? I think it's Eddy," Lidia yelled from the kitchen, where she and Astrid were busy putting the finishing touches on lunch.

Sera managed to squirm out of Rafe's lap and smacked him playfully on the arm. He smirked and leaned back in the chair to watch her purposely sashay over to the door. The thin, ivory sweater went down to her knees and covered her rear from view, much to his dislike. She paused before opening the door. "Now remember your manners honey."

Rafe groaned. "I know _mother_."

She smiled to herself as she opened the door. Uncle Eddy and aunt Ophelia came bursting through carrying various assortments of gifts. Sera ducked out of the way and laughed. "Bring enough presents with you?"

Eddy set them on the makeshift party table and turned around. He opened his arms wide and cried, "Baby doll! I haven't seen you in forever!" He grabbed hold of her and swung her around to face Ophelia. "Sera, you've changed so much in the past year. Just look at how tall she is Edward!" she said and waltzed over to give her niece a hug.

Rafe watched the scene play out from his chair in the corner. They seemed like nice people. He couldn't see the resemblance between Edward and Lidia, though. He was short with curly red hair and a round face, where she was tall with straight, chocolate brown hair and a somewhat square-like face with high cheekbones. He was clearly the younger of the two.

Eddy turned his attention to his wife who nodded and pulled a folder out of her coat. "These are the pictures of Masquerade, Ghost's new filly," she said and handed it to Sera. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe I forgot about that! How's she doing?"

Eddy bent down to untie his black work boots that he had become accustomed to wearing, even away from work. "She's doin' fine. That old mare's got more fight in her than half the stud barn." Ophelia slipped her paddock boots off and set them by the door. "Where's your mom?" she asked.

Sera tucked the folder under her arm. "In the kitchen. But before you go in there, there is someone I want you to meet." She motioned for Rafe to come over, which he did. He walked slowly over to them and nodded to Eddy. "Hello."

Eddy snorted. "Don't be shy boy! Give us a hug!" he bellowed and grabbed Rafe. Rafe coughed and inhaled with much difficulty. Sera and Ophelia smiled and gave each other a look. Eddy released him and smacked on the back with a laugh. "Good to meetcha' son. I'm glad Sera managed to find a strong man instead of one of those skinny skateboarding types."

"Yeah, thanks," Rafe said as he reached behind to rub his back. Ophelia greeted him with a handshake and a kind smile before heading off to the kitchen to see her sister-in-law. He watched the ginger haired woman leave before jerking his head towards the door. "Someone else is here," he observed.

Eddy shrugged off his coat and hung it on the stand. "That would be mom and dad, I'm thinking." He opened the door to let Sera's grandparents in. "Hey mom! Where's dad?" he asked after giving her a quick hug. "He's getting the things out of the car. Would you be a dear and go help him?"

"Sure," he said and moved past her to help his father. "Is that _my_ granddaughter?" the elderly woman asked as she kissed Sera on the cheek. "Hi memaw," Sera said. "This is Rafe my..."

"...fiance, is it?" She moved closer to Rafe to inspect him with her glasses. Rafe sneezed lightly as the smell of perfume invaded his senses. "My, aren't you the handsome one?" she said and ruffled his hair. Sera giggled as his hair bounced back to the way it was. She had spent forever trying to tame his locks but eventually threw in the towel and left it as it was.

Rafe blushed and murmured a thank you. Memaw chuckled and went to sit on the couch and wait for her husband.

The rest of the night went well as Astrid was introduced to the family and they all sat down for dinner. Afterwards they opened gifts and drank some wine that Eddy had snuck into one of Lidia's gift bags, without telling his wife. Laughter filled the larger family room as Sera's grandfather, Robert, told the story of buying his first racehorse.

Sera sat in between Eddy and Rafe as she listened to the story. She glanced at Rafe out of the corner of her eye to see how he was taking everything. The wine he had consumed earlier was making him smile lazily. He felt her eyes on him and he turned his head to ask, "What?" She shook her head. "Nothing."

Their grandfather clock chimed as it hit seven. Sera's grandmother, Megan, patted her husband on the shoulder from her seat next to him. "It's getting late dear. We should get going."

Robert sighed. "Yes, your right. Lidia it was wonderful to see you again," he said as he stood up to hug her. "Happy birthday sweetheart."

"Thank you daddy," she replied as she pulled away and went to hug her mother. Sera stood up and said her goodbyes to them. Robert turned to Rafe, who stood behind Sera. "Now, you'd better take care of my granddaughter. She's a special girl," he said firmly.

Rafe nodded at the older man. "Yes sir, I plan to." He stuck out his hand and Robert shook it looking pleased. "Let us know when the wedding is. Goodbye Sera," he said and embraced his granddaughter one last time.

After they left, Eddy pulled out a deck of cards and yelled, "Who's up for some poker?"

"I know I am," Lidia said with a smile.

Sera yawned. "Actually, I think we'll go to bed early tonight. Night everyone." She took Rafe's hand and led him out of the family room. A chorus of 'goodnights' followed as they ascended the stairs. Astrid had decided to turn in early too, and followed them. As they reached her room she stopped and said, "Goodnight you two. Try to get some sleep so you'll be well rested tomorrow. And try not to be so loud, okay?"

Sera smirked as Rafe's hand clenched around hers. "Oh Astrid, you know your son will never allow me a good night's sleep. And as far as noise goes," she clenched his hand back, "that's what silencing spells are for."


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP or B&C.

**a/n:** I am so sorry for keeping you all waiting for over a month. My laptop died and I've been using my mother's, and school has started. Add a dash of writers block and this is how long it takes to get something decent written. Anyway, a large part of this chapter's brilliance belongs to my new beta, Dahlila, who is awsome. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 19: Taking the Plunge

Rafe, Astrid, and Lidia sat in the living room waiting for Sera to come downstairs with the last of their supplies. She woke early that morning to pack some things that they may need in case of an emergency. So far she had a first aid kit, sleeping bags, some canned food, drinks and a tent much like the one she stayed in with the Weasleys at the Quidditch World Cup.

After using a shrinking charm, she placed them in a black duffel bag. She grabbed a few toiletries and put them in the bag before zipping it up and pulling the strap onto her shoulder. Rafe greeted her at the bottom of the stairs.

"Got everything, sweetness?" he asked and reached out to help her down the last couple of steps. Sera smiled taking his hand. "Yes, are you guys ready?"

"As ready as we'll ever be," stated Astrid from the couch, "Where is the portkey?"

"Right here," said Sera and she pulled out an old hairbrush from her coat pocket. She glanced at her watch and moved to the middle of the room. "It's time."

Astrid stood up from the couch and came over to Sera, pausing briefly to say goodbye to Lidia. Sera held out the brush and let Astrid and Rafe grab each side. Lidia touched her arm and said softly, "Promise me you'll be careful." Astrid looked in amazement at the portkey as Sera prepared to say goodbye. How strange it was for such a common object, or what looked like one to allow people to travel anywhere.

Sera looked at her mother's face and saw sadness and fear etched into her features. She didn't like leaving her like this, but there really wasn't much Lidia could do to help them. She used her other hand to grasp her mother's and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I'll be fine mom. I've got Rafe to look after me."

This seemed to calm Lidia's anxiety, if only slightly, and she nodded. "Okay, I'll be here when you get back. Try not to take too long in getting them." She attempted to smile and then bit her tongue and turned away. Tears brimmed at her eyes; she didn't want to worry her daughter.

Sera sighed and turned loose of her hand. After another glance at her watch she looked at the brush. It started to glow and she felt the familiar tug in her naval. With a last fleeting look at her mother, they were plunged into darkness. Her breath was knocked out of her as she landed stomach-first on a hard surface. She heard Rafe and Astrid groan beside her as they too hit the ground.

It was obviously nighttime and the darkness made it hard to see. Lifting herself up to look around, she pulled out her wand and whispered,_ "Lumos_." She pointed her wand over at Astrid and Rafe, who were already standing up."You guys alright?" she asked. They both nodded and Astrid began rubbing her obviously sore bum.

"I don't know how you people can stand to travel like that," Astrid said as she picked herself up and brushed the dirt from her shirt. "Do you always use portkeys?"

"No, mostly we apparate." Sera surveyed the area as she spoke.

"You'll have to tell me more about magic when we return." She said and began to walk ahead.

Rafe came over to stand behind her. She shined the light on their surroundings. It looked as though they were in an old dilapidated building. Old machinery sat abandoned on the floor. Everything had a thick layer of dust on it, including the floor itself. The windows in front of them had been broken in places and glass was scattered across the floor. Astrid sneezed behind her and Sera turned to look at her. "Maybe this wasn't the best place to make camp," she admitted.

Astrid shook her head. "I'm fine, really. We should probably get going."

Feeling guilty, Sera lifted her wand into the air and recited a series of cleaning spells. Different strings of bright colors shot out of the wand's tip and swept through the room, making dust and silver alike disappear. After she realized what Sera had done, Astrid cried, "Sera no! We need the silver to keep everyone away from here!"

"Don't worry about it. I only cleaned this room, not the entire building." She lowered the light to the now clean floor and took the bag off her shoulder. She set it on the ground and asked, "Where do you think they'll be?"

Rafe stared at the ground in concentration for a moment before saying, "The club most likely. He always throws a big costume party on Halloween." Astrid nodded in agreement with her son. "He'll probably have a few others looking after the house and the meat boy's apartment."

"Okay, so we'll have to check everywhere. Which is closer?"

Rafe replied, "Aiden's apartment."

"Good, we'll start there then. C'mon." She pocketed her wand after whispering, "_Nox_," and held out both of her hands. "I'll apparate us there." After they joined hands a loud _Pop _echoed around the room, and they were gone. When they reappeared, Aiden was sitting on a chair next to his art station reading the local newspaper. The noise caused him to jump up from his chair and look around wildly. "Aiden," said Sera sweetly from behind him.

He jerked around and gaped like a fish. "Sera... what are you...and why are they?" he stuttered. Rafe raised an eyebrow at him, which caused him to stiffen and take a step back from the three. Sera came forward and gave him a hug. She pulled back with a large smile on her face, though his body was still stiff from surprise.

"We've come to rescue you and Vivian," she declared buoyantly.

"I didn't realize we were in danger." He continued to look at them with disdain.

Sera looked around his room and noticed for the first time that it was a pigsty. It wasn't nearly this dirty the last time she was here. He must have been paying more attention to Vivian then his own personal space. "Not yet, but you will be. Astrid thinks that Gabriel is going to try to kill you...again."

Realization dawned on his face and his eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"We don't have any reason to lie to you, _Aiden,_" Rafe spoke up from behind Sera. "He'll kill you to get you out of the way. It's the only justice he knows," he finished bitterly.

"But where am I supposed to go? I haven't finished my book and I don't have the check from my publisher yet--"

Sera waved her hand in the air and shook her head. "Just leave that to me. Anyway, you need to start packing your things. I'll send you to my mom's house back in Kentucky."

Aiden's eyes narrowed. "You're not going to send me off to safety while Vivian is still in danger; I'm staying with you."

"Don't be foolish, boy. We have everything under control," said Astrid tersely.

"Listen, I know you don't exactly approve of me, but I love your niece and I'll do anything in my power to keep her out of harm's way," his voice raised a notch.

Rafe snorted, "Yeah, a lot of good you've done for her already."

Sera rolled her eyes at him. "Not now Rafe, please." She looked at Aiden's determined face and sighed, defeated. "Alright Aiden, you can come with us."

His face brightened and he set to work on gathering his things. After he folded his clothes Sera used her wand to make them arrange themselves into his suitcases. She shrunk his few cooking appliances and packed them with the rest of his clothes.

Aiden took his paintbrushes into the kitchen to wash and Sera told Rafe to pull the drawings off the wall and set them in a pile on the desk. "Why?" he asked.

"Because you were being rude and you haven't helped at all. Get to it."

He begrudgingly began to take down the artwork, sending her an irritated look from time to time. He stacked them neatly onto the desk while mumbling incoherencies under his breath. She shrunk the rest of his art station and packed it.

Aiden came back from the kitchen with his clean brushes in a plastic grocery bag. He looked around and smiled at the now clean room. "Wow, I haven't seen it this clean since I came here." He stuffed the bag into the front zipper of one of his suitcases. "Is that everything you need?" Sera asked.

He nodded and set the suitcases upright. "Yep."

"Good. I'll bring these to our hideout and be right back." She grabbed the handles and disappeared.

They waited for a few seconds before she reappeared without the bags. "Get your coat on, it's cold outside," she said to Aiden.

He grabbed it off the couch and quickly shoved it on. "Where are we going?"

"To their apartment where Vivian should be."

"Okay," he said and zipped up the front of his coat. Sera turned to look at Rafe and Astrid who were sitting on a small couch in the corner. "It's time to go."

She apparated them to the alleyway across from Astrid's apartment, "Can you tell if someone's there?" Sera whispered to Rafe. He nodded and moved forward to look up at the roof. "There are two on the roof."

She nodded in the darkness. "I'll try to take them out from here."

"Try not to miss," whispered Astrid behind her. Sera made Rafe move aside so she could see them better. One was sitting on the edge of the building dangling his legs over the side. The other was crouched next to him scanning the streets lazily.

She pulled out her wand and aimed it at the one who was crouching. She sent a stunning spell at him, which sent him flying backwards. The other quickly pulled his legs over the side and stood up, looking quite alarmed.

"Stupefy," she said and sent the spell flying at him. He wasn't quick enough to evade it and ended up falling backwards. "Let's go."

They ran across the street and Rafe and Sera quietly made their way up the stairs. Rafe peeked around the corner of the living room before turning to her. He pointed in that direction and mouthed, "There's one in there."

She nodded and moved around him. When the man was in her sights she hit him with a Stupefy, followed by a Confundus charm. He slumped down onto the floor, unconscious. "All clear," she declared.

"Vivian!" she yelled before walking down the hall to the bedrooms. They checked her room as well as Astrid's, but she was nowhere to be found. "Her scent has started to fade– she hasn't been here in a while," said Rafe as they made their way back downstairs.

"Do you think she's at the church?" she asked.

"No. She's probably at the club where Gabriel can keep an eye on her."

Astrid stood at the bottom of the stairs. "Well, is she there?" she asked anxiously.

Sera shook her head. "Not for some time, now. It looks like we'll have to go to the club."

Astrid and Aiden's disappointment was obvious. "Gabriel's there," she said.

"I know," said Sera, "but we need to get to Vivian, no matter who we have to go through in the process." She held out her arms for them to hold onto. "C'mon."

The music could be heard from the street outside the club where the quartet now stood. People in costumes passes by them, occasionally giving them strange looks for their less than enthusiastic attire. Sera paid them no mind as she and Rafe led the way into the dark tunnel.

"What's the plan?" he whispered.

"Not sure yet; let's wait until we actually see her before we start to move in."

When they reached the entrance, Rafe stopped abruptly. Aiden barely managed to stop himself running into Rafe. Rafe growled in response. "You two go right and work your way around the room. We'll take the other side," he said to Aiden and Astrid.

Aiden nodded and let Astrid walk ahead of him. Rafe led Sera over to the top of the stairs and leaned over the railing to get a better view of the scene below. "There he is." He pointed in the bar's direction and she leaned over to see Gabriel sitting next to a pissed Vivian. She was dressed as what appeared to be a Can-Can dancer, with a frilly forest-green dress and a large feather sticking out of the back of her messy up do. Vivian's mouth turned into a toothy sneer every time Gabriel brushed his hand against her. Soon he would be missing a few fingers.

She couldn't help but giggle at how cute Vivian looked, despite the fact that she was currently glaring daggers at Gabriel. "I'm sure glad that isn't me receiving that glare," she laughed. The corners of Rafe's lips twitched but he did not smile.

"How are we going to get her away from him, Rafe?"

"I don't know."

"Well, if we were alone somewhere with them then I could apparate her out of here. There are so many people here tonight, it would be almost impossible to do it without being seen."

He sighed and reached over to take her hand. "Stay close to me." Sera smiled and let him lead her down the stairs. He wrapped an arm around her waist as they began walking towards Vivian. She scanned the other side of the dance floor and saw a head full of blond curls making its way towards them. Unfortunately, so were a few other unwelcome faces.

Rafe drew her closer so that she was almost tripping from the unbalance, but she didn't dare move away. The red light that was bathing the room made Ulf's leering face appear even more sinister. A shiver ran down her spine and Rafe turned his head to look at her questionably. "What is it?"

"They rest of your old gang is here."

He too looked out to see his former friends walking towards them menacingly. His eyes narrowed. "Just keep going," he said as he guided her from trouble.

"Whatever you say," she said, unsure whether it would work or not. Gregory jogged to cross the distance between them and grabbed hold of Sera's arm. She stopped and tried to yank her arm out of his grasp. Rafe growled and reached around her to grab Gregory's neck. "Let go of her, _now_."

Gregory let out a strangled laugh. Rafe felt someone pull him back by the collar and his hand was ripped away from Gregory's throat. Sera watched helplessly as his hands were brought behind his back and was kicked behind the knees. Finn placed his foot on Rafe's back, preventing him from getting up.

"Go get Gabriel," Finn told Willem who nodded and walked briskly towards the bar.

"Why are you helping that bastard?" she yelled. Many people turned to look in their direction, curious. "It's obvious he lost his sanity a long time ago." She struggled against the male's iron grip. He chuckled darkly, "I wouldn't be passing judgment if I were in your position." He moved her around to face him and tugged suggestively on her belt buckle. "I'm hoping he'll let you live. Then _we_ will get to have some fun."

Sera felt her heart skip and her stomach clench, a feeling of nausea grew. "I thought you didn't like humans."

"On the contrary, I love humans. They fall into traps easier than animals and far more amusing."

Rafe snarled and tried to throw Finn off, which resulted in a blow to his head. Willem came back with two of Gabriel's flunkies. "He said to take them to the factory."

"You heard him, get up," Finn nudged Rafe with his foot. Rafe glared at him as he stood up, and looked to his mate, ready to destroy Gregory if he tried to touch Sera inappropriately. Gregory pulled her by the arm and they set off for the stairs. She could hear Rafe's growling and scuffling behind them, obviously putting up a fight. As they neared the stairs, Astrid's head peeked around the side of a pillar. Sera caught her eye and mouthed, "Factory."

She nodded and disappeared behind the pillar. When they reached the Five's vehicle she was pushed into the backseat and quickly joined by a smirking Gregory. Finn opened up the back and made Rafe climb in with him. Willem got into the driver's seat and Ulf took shotgun.

"Now, let's try to make this ride as pleasant as possible Sera. You too Rafe," Gregory said while Willem started the vehicle.

"You touch her again Greg and I'll kill you." He snarled and let his teeth lengthen to show he meant it.

Gregory just laughed and reached for Sera's head, running his fingers through her hair. Rafe's hands had been tied behind his back and it hindered him from lashing out at his former friend.

The Five just laughed as he struggled to get Sera across the seat, their howls grew louder as Ulf reached from the front and punched him in the face. This knocked Rafe back and unconscious for a moment.

Sera gasped and struggled in Greg's grip. "No!" she exclaimed. She pulled back and grimaced as Finn reached across the seat, over the unconscious Rafe and put his hand on her knee. She shook with fury and her glare made him pull back.

"Just because Rafe is unconscious doesn't mean I can't defend myself." She snapped. Unfortunately that's when Gregory looked inside her jacket pocket and pulled her wand away and passed it to Finn.

"How about now witch? It seems you're a little useless without this stick." And with that Finn tucked the wand away in his own jacket pocket. Yes, now she was defenseless.


	20. Chapter 20

I'm so sorry for the **year long** wait. I've been having major family drama and haven't been able to focus on the story. I also forgot that people actually like this story. My tremendous apologies.

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Chapter 20

Sera grew nervous as they traveled closer to the factory. She played with the zipper on her jacket as she stared out the window watching the surrounding area blur past. What was she going to do? They had her wand and she couldn't perform wandless magic while she was this worked up. It was almost impossible to calm down when a certain boy wouldn't stop messaging her knee.

"Stop that _now_," she growled as she shoved his hand off for the hundredth time. He laughed and the sound made her stomach turn in revulsion. "Aw come on sweetheart. I thought you liked me," he said with mock kindness. She rolled her eyes. _Not on your life_.

Thankfully he stopped pestering her for the remainder of the ride, which didn't last long. She was pulled roughly out of the seat by her hood and stumbled out of the vehicle, landing on her knees. Gregory and Willem grabbed both of her arms with their steel-like grip and walked her towards the entrance of the factory. She looked over her shoulder and saw Ulf and Finn lifting an unconscious Rafe out of the back.

Her thoughts drifted to Gabriel. What was he planning on doing with them? Sera had a feeling she knew already. Would he honestly kill his own son? She did not think he was truly that heartless, but fear makes people do stupid things.

She was taken inside the large building and set in a chair near some large, black machines. The air inside was almost as cold as the air outside and she shivered slightly. Willem walked quickly across the large, concrete room and went into a supply closet. Finn and Ulf dropped Rafe unceremoniously onto the hard floor before Willem returned with a bundle of rope. "Tie her up."

Sera let them pull her hands behind her back without complaint and winced as they bound her wrists.

"What about him?"

"Put him in the cage where he belongs."

Rafe groaned quietly as they lifted him again to put him in the black iron cage in the corner of the room. Willem sat down next to her and crossed his arms. "Now all we have to do is wait for Gabriel to arrive."

"Why are you doing this?"

Gregory laughed and turned to look at her from his spot on the bar. "What do you mean?"

I sighed and decided to rephrase, "What Gabriel's doing, holding Vivian or anyone else here against their will, it's wrong. Plain and simple."

He shook his head and smiled. "We are only abiding by our ancestor's laws. I can't expect you to understand our ways."

It was her turn to smile, which she pulled off quite well considering the circumstances. "Your absolutely right." He raised a brow in question. "I'm just a stupid, incompetent human who doesn't know her place."

They stared back at her, faces blank, and she wondered if patronizing them was a smart thing to do while she was tied up. When they made no movement towards her she continued. "I'm not even worthy enough to lick your shoes. I beg you, have mercy on my worthless behind." She finished and let her head fall dramatically to her chest in mock submission.

After a moment she heard footsteps near her and felt Gregory run a hand through her hair. "Well I'm sure there's," he paused and she raised her head to see him grinning, "..._something_ you're good for."

Sera's eyes narrowed to slits at his suggestive words. She tried to bite his outstretched hand but her teeth sank into air instead. "Oh, quite a temper you've got there girlie. I'd be more than happy to educate you in some manners when this is over, but that's only if you survive." She let out a low hiss and struggled with her bindings. When they didn't loosen she stomped her foot and glared at his smirking face.

"Enough."

Everyone turned to see Gabriel emerging from the doorway with his bodyguards. He reeked of superiority as he motioned to Willem and Gregory. "Go out to the car and make sure she doesn't try to escape." The boys nodded and jogged past him and out the door. He looked over at his son in the cage and shook his head. "If only I had given him punishments for consorting with humans; maybe he wouldn't have turned out this way."

His gaze found hers and she stiffened. The corners of his mouth twitched up and he chuckled soundlessly. "Did you enjoy your time together?"

Sera forced a smile and spoke coolly, "Yes we did. We went on picnics and rode horseback through the woods near my home. I even introduced him to my family." She smirked before continuing, "My mother and Astrid hit it off too – a regular pair of Betty Crockers."

Gabriel frowned at this. "So that's where she went."

"Yeah, and she was more than than happy to get away from you." _You great big prick._

She half expected him to walk over and smack her, but he stood still, stoic. "It's better for everyone if she is not here."

Sera snorted. "Sure it it is, especially for you. If she isn't here then she can't make you feel guilty. Feel any better about yourself now?"

He sniffed disdainfully and spat, "Get him out of the cage and wake him; he will _watch_ this!"

_Oh, crap. _She struggled with her bindings, flinching as the rope rubbed her wrists raw. Ulf giggled as they dragged Rafe out of the cage and proceeded to shake him. "Waaake up Rafey boyyyyy," he sang. Rafe groaned as he rubbed his eyes, looking around to see where he was. His eyes widened as they landed on Sera tied to a chair.

His voice was raspy when he spoke. "Let her go. Now."

"I'm afraid I can't do that son. She has to pay for what she's done, and so do you."

"What she's--?," Rafe paused before yelling, "The only thing she has done is made me feel wanted. Special. _Loved._" He narrowed his eyes at Gabriel. "Which is a lot more than you have ever given me."

Sera continued to struggle until something caught her attention. Looking around to make sure no one was watching her, she lifted her head to see Aiden waving at her from the glass roof. He pointed to his right and she found Astrid feeding a black rope through an opening in the glass on the other side of the room. The moonlight made her pale skin and hair glow, making her look like a curly, blonde haired angel.

She was only vaguely aware that the two males were still arguing. Aiden walked over to Astrid and said something to her before starting to climb down the rope. A shotgun was on his back along with a backpack. He inched down the rope agonizingly slow, making Sera a little anxious. She glanced at the group every few seconds to make sure they didn't see him.

Gabriel's loud voice brought her out of her routine as he declared, "Then let us find out tonight. We hunt, you and I." He held his arm out for Finn to cut. Rafe stiffened and his eyes darted to Sera. "Don't do it," she mouthed, giving him a pleading look. She could tell he didn't want to fight. "I'm sorry," he mouthed back as his eyes turned gold and he let the change overtake him.

A brief flash of light revealed snarling masses of fur and muscle. Their eyes were ablaze with their hatred for each other. They circled the room, pushing the other four inhabitants farther away from the center. Gabriel snapped his jaws and Sera felt herself jump at the sound. One of the boys laughed but she didn't get the chance to send him a glare. Bodies slammed into each other, biting and clawing any unprotected piece of flesh they could get to.

Movement from the corner of her eye caused her to turn to see Aiden getting off the table he descended onto from the rope. He gave her a signal to be quiet as he snuck around to the bar. Thankfully everyone was too distracted with the fight to notice him. Ulf was bouncing on the balls of his feet looking gleeful, and she couldn't help but scrunch her nose up in disgust. Astrid was making her way down the rope a lot faster than Aiden. He gave Sera a thumbs up to show that he was ready to rock-and-roll.

Rafe and Gabriel continued to try to rip each others heads off. Gabriel had a gash on his nose that was making blood trickle down into his mouth. Rafe seemed to be fine, but had started to become clumsy. He tripped over his own feet as Gabriel went after his hindquarters. Sera's heart thudded in her chest as she watched him stumble and barely make it out of his father's open jaws. Her struggles began anew as she tried to work her sweaty hands through her bonds. Ignoring the pain she looked desperately for Aiden to help her, but saw no one behind the counter of the bar except the bodyguards. _Great, they know they're here._

A shot sounded off from the metal observation walkway above the machinery. A guard was hit and fell to the floor clutching his shoulder. The other ducked down behind the bar with his gun drawn and began to fire in Aiden and Astrid's direction. The four boys ran past her and the fighting wolves to go up the stairs. She spotted her wand sticking out of Finn's jacket pocket. _Please let this work._"Accio wand," she whispered forcefully. To her relief it flew out of his pocket without a fuss and landed tip down in her hand.

"Everto." She felt her bonds turn to ash before standing up and rubbing her abused wrists. Gun fire made her cover her ears with her hands. She watched Aiden wrestling with the boys and Astrid firing at the other guard. Growls and whines made her turn back to the battle in front of her. Rafe's fur was matted and blood dripped from cuts scattered across his body. His sides heaved as he faced his father. Gabriel's malicious grin sent a chill up her spine as she watched almost in slow motion as he slammed into her fiance and sent him sliding across the floor on his side.

"No!" she screamed, tears welling up in her eyes. She jabbed her wand in his direction and fired a random spell. He ducked out from under it and turned his head to look at her. His lips parted in yet another grin and she felt herself go cold. He had a deep cut on his front left foot, maybe she could make a run for it. A rumbling growl from his throat made up her mind. Without a second to spare she darted for the stairs, pushing her legs out as far and as fast as she could.

Grabbing the railing to swing herself up the stairs, she felt Gabriel's coat whisper past her back and heard his claws scraping the concrete as he slid past her. She would have laughed had she been in any other situation. After reaching the top and sprinting down the walkway she heard him plowing up the stairs, the metal groaning under his weight.

There was about fifty feet to go before she reached a door. Mentally crossing her fingers she pumped her legs faster as Gabriel gained on her. She tried to breathe through her nose, but ended up sucking air into her mouth in short gasps. _Come on, twenty more feet!_

Suddenly she felt him behind her, puffs of air hitting the back of her neck. Her scream was cut off when his head shoved her back, sending her flying forward onto her stomach. She scrambled to get up and took a quick glance behind her to see that Gabriel had stepped through a hole in the walkway's pattern and gotten his leg stuck. He snarled as he tried to work his leg back through. Sera took this oportunity to yell at him.

"Not so big and strong now are you, Mr. Alpha?"

He snapped his jaws in reply while continuing to struggle. "All you had to do was leave us alone, Gabriel," she said softly. "We just wanted to have our happily ever after, but no, you just couldn't stand to see us together." He slowed his movements before stopping completely. His eyes locked on hers. They made her want to squirm, but she stood tall and proud, afraid to show any weakness.

"You can't hate someone because they're human; that would be like hating yourself. They're part of you and even if you deny it, I see more human traits in you than animal: Hate, envy, greed, fear, love," she named them off with her fingers. She took a deep breath before going on, "Those are human feelings and you can't get away from them or pretend they don't exist. The fact is, you are more human than the rest of your kind."

That did it. He pulled his leg through the opening and leaped at her, which caused her to stumble backwards and drop her wand. Sera heard it clatter on the floor below as she landed on her back, eyes wide at the sight on top of her. She was nose to nose with Gabriel. His lips were pulled back to reveal dagger sharp canines, and his foul breath emanated from between his teeth. She swallowed the lump in her throat and reached up to touch her necklace.

He pulled back his head and arched his back, ready to kill her. Suddenly she remembered something about her necklace. As he dove down, mouth wide open, she screamed, "Pugio!" His teeth bit into her shoulder and she let out a terrible screamed. When the necklace was replaced with a long silver dagger and she plunged it into his exposed throat. Blood splattered onto her chest as Gabriel released her and let out a screaming yelp that ended in a gurgle before collapsing on her.

"God," she hissed. The pain in her shoulder was tremendous and she squeezed her eyes shut to try to block it out. She tried to shimmy out from under him, but couldn't move more than an inch or two without hurting herself more. "If anyone's here, I could use some help." No answer. While she was trapped under Gabriel's dead weight she began to wonder where Astrid and Aiden were. She hadn't heard anything since Rafe...

"Oh, Merlin no."

Sera could barely turn her head to look down at the floor where she last saw him. He wasn't there. There was a puddle of blood where he should have been laying, and there were footprints that went towards the stairs...

She gasped and whipped her head up when she felt Gabriel being tugged off of her. Tears once again welled up in her eyes. "Rafe?"

With a hard pull Gabriel was moved off and she saw Rafe walking towards her with a smile on his bruised and scratched face. "Rafe!" she sobbed. He fell to his knees beside her and wrapped his arms around her. She immediately latched onto him and cried into his naked chest. "I thought he had killed you," she hiccuped. "I was so scared that you were dead."

"Shhh, it's alright. I'm here, I'm here," he spoke softly into her hair. "Everything is going to be okay now. It's over." We sat there for what felt like forever before Astrid and Vivian came running out of the room in front of us.

"There's a fire in the back, we have to get out!"

Sera wiped the tears off her face with her sleeve. She nodded and tried to stand up. "Here, let me help you," Astrid gripped under her arms and hauled her to her feet. Rafe stood and offered her the wand back. "Do you mind," he asked with a grin. Vivian snorted behind them.

"Of course not." She spelled some clothes onto him, a simple t-shirt and jeans.

"Thank you sweets," he said before leaning in to give her a kiss on the mouth. Vivian huffed. "Take your time. It's not like were in a building that's about to blow up or anything."

"Okay, we get. Where's Aiden and the others," Rafe asked.

Astrid spoke this time, "He's getting them out of a cage they got locked into."

Rafe nodded and took Sera's hand. "Come on." As he led the way out, both Astrid and Vivian stopped to stare at Gabriel's dead body. Their expressions were unreadable. Sera sighed as she and Rafe made their way down the stairs. "He's dead, it's over, _come on_!"

After everyone was safely outside the factory, they waited only a few moments before an explosion blasted fire and smoke out of the windows, sending glass hurtling into the air. Aiden stood in front of Vivian protectively, as did Rafe with Sera. "Watch out," Aiden yelled as they ducked behind a dumpster. Glass bounced off and smashed into the object in front of them. What was left of 'The Five' ran off during the explosion, which left Rafe with less to worry about.

"So what now," Sera asked as they made their way to Gabriel's car. Rafe rubbed her side. "We get you to the hospital."

"I could probably heal this myself."

He chuckled and opened the passenger door for her. "Probably isn't good enough in this case."

She sat in the seat with a huff, "But-,"

He leaned in and kissed her on the neck, making her tremble, and more importantly, shut up. "No buts. Please, humor me on this."

Sera grinned. How could she ever say no to him?

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Okay this is not the last chapter. There will be one more and it will be the Epilogue. It might take me a week or two to type it up and get it posted, so bear with me.


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